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At-a-glance: Scots Green manifesto | | The Scottish Green Party has launched its manifesto for the Holyrood elections. Here are the main points of the plan. Communities - Redirecting executive subsidies and support for multi-national companies into funding to support local businesses.
- Communities to get a say on new national planning frameworks.
- An "Environmental Justice Fund" of at least �2m per year to support community improvements help them respond to environmental "threats".
- The introduction of a wide-ranging Sustainable Communities bill which would create incentives to buy from local suppliers and requirements for parts of land in regeneration areas to remain in some form of community ownership.
- Pay communities to protect "public goods", such as wild areas and freshwater.
- Giving all rural households and businesses access to broadband.
- Extend crofting throughout Scotland.
- Increase native woodland cover to 20% by 2010, 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2050.
Economy - Improve the ability of small businesses to tender for public sector contracts.
- Ensure that at least 10% of public spending goes through social enterprises by 2012.
- Develop an Ethical Financial Services strategy and support initiatives such as credit unions.
- Ensuring the Scottish Executive and its agencies use an indicator which measures quality of life against economic development.
- Make sustainable development "the top priority" for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- Create a national forum for sustainable economic development.
- Work with councils to bring in environmental levies, for example on non-returnable packaging or road congestion.
- Greater powers for the Scottish Parliament to bring in pollution tax and set a 50% tax rate for incomes of more than �100,000.
- Replace council tax and uniform business rates with a Land Value Tax.
- Expand the Sure Start child support programme and establish dedicated support services for parents, "before they reach crisis point".
- "Radically" improve childcare and day-care for working parents and improve status of staff from current "low" levels.
- New legislation to increase access to flexible working.
- Block the use of PFI in new infrastructure schemes and develop alternatives, including municipal bonds.
- Establish an independent review to explore how to bring the national grid into public ownership.
- Make the reduction of public services' carbon footprints obligatory.
Environment - Appoint a minister for sustainable development and climate change.
- Bring in legislation requiring the Scottish Executive to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050.
- Establish a four-year fund worth �100m to support carbon-cutting community projects.
- Generate 100% of electricity from renewable energy by 2050.
- Set targets to improve the energy efficiency of housing and other buildings.
Transport - Upgrade footpaths and pavements
- Link all schools and public centres by cycling and walking routes by 2017.
- Improve bus services and conduct an inquiry into rural services and pricing.
- More funding for Edinburgh trams.
- Legislate for road traffic reduction.
Health - Bring in legislation to ensure levels of freshness for food procured by the public sector, including schools and NHS establishments.
- Invest in projects to allow more vulnerable patients to be cared for at home.
- Fund more respite facilities for older and disabled people.
- Rule out fluoridation of the water supply and focus on school-based tooth-brushing schemes.
- Increase the student nurse bursary to �10,000 to cut student drop-out rates.
- Offer patients access to complimentary and alternative medicine through GPs and local health boards.
- Raise the minimum age for buying tobacco to 18.
Waste - Every household in Scotland to be given access to kerbside recycling and compost bins for those with gardens.
- Setting a target of zero waste by 2020.
- Cut greenhouse gas emissions from waste management by at least half by 2020.
- Phase out the sale of single-use batteries while introducing a recycling scheme.
- Making incinerators ineligible for funding support.
Education - Maximum primary school class sizes of 20.
- Set aside time in the curriculum for extended work experience.
- Bonuses for teachers successful in raising attainment in deprived areas.
- Ban advertising in schools and bring in free, healthy school meals.
- Integrate state-funded religious schools into nondenominational education.
- Improve support for home learning.
- Scrap the student graduate endowment and bring back grants.
- Fund outdoor skills training for teachers and provide cash to refurbish and develop outdoor centres.
Justice - Increased use of victim-offender mediation services.
- Keep a record of reasons for sentencing and only jail offenders posing a "genuine risk to the public".
- Introduce corporate killing legislation which places duty on individual directors.
- Extend the children's hearing system to help 16-18-year-olds.
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