SNP Conference: everything you need to know

The SNP’s Conference in Glasgow was a conference full of hope and passion for a better Scotland.

We’re making hope possible, announcing new action to grow our achievements in government – to boost skills and prosperity, protect the most vulnerable in our society, and deliver the very best public services.

Here’s what you need to know.

• We will target up to £18 million of European funding to set up a new Advanced Manufacturing Fund to help small and medium sized businesses modernise and grow.
• A new ‘Fair Work First’ approach will mean Scottish public sector contracts currently regulated by procurement law must address fair work criteria. Criteria will include investment in skills; no exploitative zero hours contracts; action on gender pay equality; workforce engagement; and payment of the Living Wage.
• The Scottish Government will increase investment in Social Bite’s Housing First scheme to £6.5 million – allowing them to increase the number of people lifted out of homelessness for good from 200 to 800.
• We will explore whether to make hate motivated by misogynistic harassment an offence – sending a signal that Scotland has zero tolerance for hatred directed to women.
• A Victims Task Force will be established, to provide leadership to guide and shape the development of a victim-centred approach to justice policy. We will also ensure that our work to place victims at the centre includes specific actions to improve the experience of victims of rape and sexual assault.
• An Infrastructure Commission will be set up and will consider proposals for a publicly owned Scottish National Infrastructure Company.
• A new expert group will be set up to consider UK migration policy and its impact on Scotland’s population, including rural areas.
• A new advice and support service will be set up for EU citizens in Scotland. The service will help those affected by changes in immigration rules as a result of leaving the EU. Advice on rights and entitlements, based on an individual’s immigration status, will be available.
• We will pilot a new programme of Experienced Practice Advisers in nursing, midwifery and health visiting. Up to 100 of these mentors will be recruited from recently retired staff, using their very valuable skills, their knowledge, their hard-won experience.
• A new Financial Health Check for older people and low income families will be established – backed by £3.3 million over the next two years.
• This year we will increase grants for care experienced student nurses to £8,100 a year and next year we will raise the grant for all student nurses to the same level. The year after that we will increase bursaries to £10,000 a year.