‘Science Champion’ Campaign Response

The last year has been challenging for all of us, but the light at the end of the tunnel is now clear, and it is science that has gotten us to this point. 

Our First Minister highlighted in November 2020 how science would be what unlocked Scotland and ended the pandemic, and the vaccine has started to enable just that. 

If re-elected, the SNP will turn to science once again to unlock Scotland’s potential and drive a green, high tech revolution for Scotland. Scotland has historically been a nation of inventors that has led the world in a number of fields, and the SNP will ensure this reputation continues. 

The SNP plan to use inward investment to create 20,000 jobs and grow the Scottish GDP by £4 billion. Included in the nine priority areas for investment are space, health technology, chemical industries, and energy transition. This investment will propel Scotland in the fields of science and technology. 

The SNP will, through the implementation of Scotland’s Global Capital Investment Plan, invest in starting and scaling up businesses in cutting edge fields such as technology, and life sciences. The SNP will also fund the investment necessary for these businesses to grow. 

The SNP will invest £500 million over the next parliament to support the new jobs and reskill people in future facing industries, such as science, innovation, and technology. 

The SNP will support the new NHS Centre for Sustainable Delivery to pioneer and deliver new, better, and more sustainable ways of working across the NHS and social care, and fully harness the benefits of technology and new treatments. 

To encourage education in science and technology, alongside other subjects, the SNP will ensure access to the entire curriculum is free for all pupils and not subject to charges and costs for materials and resources required for their education.

Fiona Hyslop