AIDE MEMOIRE FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - CATHOLIC MATTERS - MAY 2021
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AIDE MEMOIRE FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS – CATHOLIC MATTERS – MAY 2021 26TH April 2021 Information prepared by the CPO (catholic Parliamentary Office) for the Bishops Conference of Scotland about the stance of the various political parties in Scotland preparing for the May 6th Scottish Elections on some of the crucial questions of importance to the Catholic Church in this election. This table contains a sample of issues of significance for the forthcoming Scottish election and the positions of political parties in relation to those issues. Where party manifestos and policies are available online, we have used those resources to populate the table to show each party’s position. This information may be of assistance, especially in relation to regional votes, where voters express preference for a party. Please note that there are other policy areas you may want to explore. The issues highlighted are not an exhaustive list of issues of importance for Catholics. To explore further, please click the relevant party name in the ‘manifestos/policies’ section of the CPO election resource to access manifestos and/or other policy information. Where ‘no information’ is stated, this means that we were unable to find a policy position either in the party’s 2021 manifesto or on the party website. Please note: *Parties are listed in order of manifesto release date. *Some issues, like child poverty, are complex and there are a variety of policies which could impact a party’s approach to tackling that particular issue. The table details the most direct policies which aim to tackle child poverty.
Abortion Assisted Suicide Child Poverty Gender Law Reform
Scottish Family Party We affirm the value of We oppose the introduction Promotion of ‘family We oppose the proposed
human life in the womb. of assisted suicide and stability’ as a policy avenue Gender Recognition Act.
Abortion as a means of birth euthanasia. to be explored in the fight Officially changing
control is morally against poverty. sex/gender should not be
unjustifiable. Ultimately, we possible merely at the
would like to see the law request of an individual.
reflect this. Teaching children that they
can choose their gender is
extremely harmful. Steering
children and young people
towards puberty-blocking
drugs and sex reassignment
surgery is grossly
irresponsible, given that a
clear majority of children
will naturally outgrow
gender confusion.
Scottish Greens Decriminalise abortion, Introduce safe and Provision of school meals all Deliver long overdue
remove the ‘two doctor compassionate laws that year round. Committed to reforms to the Gender
rule’, and retain the allow terminally ill adults meeting the legal 2030 Recognition Act, including
provision for early medical the right to an assisted target of reducing Relative statutory self-declaration,
abortions at home death when the time is right Child Poverty to 10%. recognising non-binary
introduced during the for them. Double Scottish Child identities and all genders,
pandemic. Payment to £20 per week. and providing access to
health care for trans minors
with parental or guardian
consent.
SNP Abortion is a legal right in The SNP government Double Scottish Child In the next parliament we
Scotland and we will protect recently established a Payment to £20 per week. will work with trans people,that right. We have no plans Citizens’ Assembly to ‘help Provision of school women, equality groups,
to restrict existing abortion find consensus on issues breakfasts and lunches for legal and human rights
legislation. We are clear that where people have sharply all state primary school experts to identify the best
those accessing abortion divided opinions’. The pupils, all year round. and most effective way to
services should not be party’s election manifesto improve and simplify the
targeted for choosing to for 2021 commits to further process by which a trans
access this right. We will discussion on assisted dying person can obtain legal
support any local authority under the auspices of the recognition, so that the
who wishes to use their Citizens’ Assembly. trauma associated with that
powers to establish bye- process is reduced. We
laws to create protest-free remain committed to
buffer zones outside clinics making necessary changes
that provide abortion to the Gender Recognition
services. Act that arise from this work
at the earliest opportunity.
Scottish Liberal Democrats We will remove criminal No information. We will double the Scottish Improve laws on gender
sanctions for receiving an Child Payment and support recognition in line with
abortion, and for other measures, such as international best practice
appropriately regulated free school meals, as part of to allow trans people to
medical professionals a programme to end child change the legal gender on
providing them. We will poverty, with the intention their birth certificate with a
provide funding so that to meet the targets simple process based on the
users of reproductive unanimously agreed by principle of self-
healthcare services are Parliament. We will determination, and without
provided with enough continue to call on the UK intrusive medical diagnosis
specialist advice to make Government to make requirements, and include
fully informed decisions. We permanent the £20 uplift in the recognition of non-
will legally enforce safe Universal Credit introduced binary people. This de-
zones around abortion during the pandemic to medicalised system to
service providers so that address child poverty. change legal gender will
those visiting can travel to better support trans people
them free of anyharassment or pressure on to live their lives free from
their decision. discrimination.
Scottish Conservatives No information. No information. Focus on creating jobs. Over No information.
a third of children in poverty
live in workless households.
Deliver free school lunches
and breakfasts for all
children in primary school.
Complete the rollout of the
Scottish Child Payment and
increase payments to £20
per week by the end of the
Parliament.
Restore Scotland ‘The sanctity of human life’ ‘The sanctity of human life’ No information. No information.
is listed as a tenet/objective is listed as a tenet/objective
of the party in its of the party in its
constitution. constitution.
ALBA No information. No information. Introduce a £500 Annual ALBA is calling for a Citizens’
payment to every low Assembly to be established
income household in with urgency to develop
Scotland to tackle binding proposals on reform
deprivation and, in of the Gender Recognition
particular, to help them with Act.
big costs that are otherwise
unaffordable on low pay or
benefits.
Provide free school
breakfasts and lunches forall early years, primary and
secondary school pupils.
Scottish Labour Scottish Labour will protect No information. We support measures to We will reform the Gender
the right of women to have increase the Scottish Child Recognition Act to
access to a safe, legal Payment to £20 a week by demedicalise the process
abortion and we will the end of 2022 to lift more and allow for the
designate buffer zones children out of poverty. recognition of people who
around clinics to protect the To further address child identify as neither men nor
privacy of women. poverty, we will extend the women. Scottish Labour
current provision of free shares concerns that some
school meals as well as parents of children with
rolling this out all year, intersex traits, also known
ending the scandal of as variations in sex
children going hungry during characteristics, are still
the school holidays. pressured into unnecessary
surgeries. While some may
choose to take medical
steps later in life, this is a
choice that must be made
by individuals themselves.You can also read
