What Nicola Sturgeon said she would do in her first 100 days in office

Ahead of the election Nicola Sturgeon made a number of pledges she would carry out in her first 100 days in office if she was re-elected as First Minister.

The SNP managed to secure 64 MSPs in the 129-seat parliament which is one short of a majority however with the eight Scottish Greens elected there is a majority of independence parties.

Sturgeon said her priority following the election would be to focus on Scotland's recovery from the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

More than 10,000 Scots have passed away since last March due to Covid-19.

A week ahead of polling day the Scottish National Party released a 10-page document about what to expect in its first three-and-a-half months in power.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out her plan for her first 100 days in office (PA)

Here are the key policy pledges from the SNP:

Health and social care

• Delivering a pay rise for NHS workers
• Publishing an NHS Recovery Plan and opening the first 3 fast-track cancer diagnostic centres
• Remove dental charges for care experienced young people as the first step to removing charges for all
• Laying the groundwork for vital longer-term reforms, including the first steps to establish a National Care Service

Economy

• Urgent additional support to business sectors which have been hard hit by the pandemic
• Launch the £10 million ‘Scotland Loves Local’ programme to support local businesses and back Scotland Loves Local loyalty card schemes.
• Roll out the £25m tourism fund including new campaign to boost Scottish tourism and vouchers for days out and short breaks for carers, people with disabilities and families on low income.
  
• A new Council for Economic Transformation to shape the new 10-year National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
• An extra £25m to help small businesses benefit from digital technology.

Children and families

• Deliver a £20m summer programme of help for pupils
• Fund councils to increase teacher numbers by 1,000 and classroom assistants by 500 - as part of our commitment to 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants over the Parliamentary term
• Introduce free school lunches for Primary 4 children as the first step to delivering Free School Breakfasts and Lunches for all primary school pupils
• Start to deliver free bikes to children who cannot afford them by establishing pilot projects and commit to rolling the scheme out fully within 12 months

Jobs, students and schools

• Deliver around 5,000 more short, industry-focussed courses to help young people train for jobs in key industries
• Establish a new Summer Student Support Hardship Fund of £20 million for students unable to find work in the months they do not receive student support and begin a review of the future of summer student support.
• Roll-out new school coordinators across the country to support young people access education, work, or training.