| 1. What can the
Scottish Parliament do to help older people?
The Scottish Parliament
can create laws in any of the areas that are devolved in order to meet
the particular needs of older people. Areas such as pensions and
social security benefits are still reserved to the UK Parliament at Westminster
but health, transport, housing and the other devolved areas are within
the Scottish Parliament’s remit.
Pensions and social
security are reserved to Westminster, so benefits such as the £200
annual Winter Fuel Payment, the Minimum Income Guarantee or the abolition
of TV Licences for those over the age of 75 are available to pensioners
all across the UK, not just those in Scotland.
2. What has the Scottish
Parliament done specifically for older people?
The Scottish Parliament
has introduced several initiatives and pieces of legislation which will
be of benefit to older people. Free off-peak travel for the pensioners
and the disabled will begin in October 2002. A Bill to provide free
personal care for the elderly has just been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Executive is currently undertaking a scheme to supply a free
central heating system to all pensioners who either lack central heating
or whose system is damaged beyond repair.
3. The provision
of free personal care was initially timetabled for 1 April 2002 but was
later changed to 1 July 2002. Why did this change occur?
The Health and Community
Care Minister Malcolm Chisholm made this decision on the advice of the
Care Development Group, who were set up to look at the practicalities of
implementing free personal care. The Care Development Group suggested
that the start date be pushed back to allow local authorities and other
care providers with further opportunity to make sure that all services
were fully in place. It is important that all the arrangements are
in place, and all the providers are prepared before free personal care
is introduced.
4. How will the free
travel scheme for elderly people work when it is introduced in October
2002?
The scheme will provide
free off-peak bus travel for all pensioners. Exact details have yet
to be published, but when they are I will be contacting local elderly groups
in the constituency to make sure that those eligible are aware of how to
take advantage of the scheme.
5. How can I apply
for the free central heating scheme?
To apply please
contact
me and I will be glad to send out the details.
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