Dundee Liberal Democrats - www.dundeelibdems.scot

Scottish Liberal Democrats today called for music tuition to be made free in schools to encourage participation and equal access.

Launching the policy which will be in the party's manifesto, education spokesperson Beatrice Wishart highlighted TES Scotland figures showing:

• the number of pupils receiving council instrumental music tuition is at its lowest level since annual surveys began
• in Clackmannanshire annual tuition is £524 for group lessons
• When West Lothian introduced fees of £354 per year the number of pupils receiving tuition halved

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today said that "apologies will not bring people back" as he responded to comments from the First Minister admitting that her government had taken its "eye off the ball" on Scotland's drug deaths crisis.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader was the only MSP to appeal for a rethink during the final parliamentary stage of the SNP's 2016 budget that delivered a devastating 22% cut to alcohol and drug partnership budgets.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today used a campaign stop at The Ecology Centre near Kinghorn to launch the party's Young Persons Job Guarantee for every 16-24-year-old - where all young Scots will have access to a job or training.

The ambitious scheme is part of the party's wider plans to put recovery first.

Responding to the launch of the Scottish Green party manifesto, Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Alistair Carmichael MP said:

"People who are concerned about the climate emergency will be shocked to see that the Scottish Green party's priority is independence.

"When we should be focused on switching one million homes to climate friendly heating, securing green jobs and boosting renewable energy, the different factions of the nationalist movement want to spend their time bickering over a timeline for another referendum.

Here are 5 positive reasons to back Willie Rennie's Liberal Democrats to Put Recovery First for Scotland:

1. 👩🏻‍🏫 Help Education Bounce Back

After the year we've had an all our children have missed out on, Liberal Democrats will make Scottish Education the best again.

Liberal Democrats will increase pupil-support assistants, guarantee a job for all qualified teachers to cut class sizes, invest in residential and outdoor learning and raise literacy and numeracy standards.

Too many young people are being left behind by the pandemic's disruption to their education.

Even before the pandemic, the SNP presided over a growing attainment gap. Nicola Sturgeon told us to "judge me on education" - and we are.

Liberal Democrats are determined to make Scottish education the best again. That is why I have relentlessly talked about it from day one of the campaign.

Our Education Bounce Back plan commits to a transformational investment in teachers and young people. We will:

The climate emergency cannot wait. Unless there is urgent action to tackle out of control transport emissions, our environment and the health of future generations will suffer.

As trustees of our world, Liberal Democrats understand we have a duty to pass on a sustainable legacy for future generations.

For too long, vulnerable people have been subjected to harrowing long waits for mental health treatment.

It is impossible to imagine just how hard it must be. Despite the warnings, it is only getting worse with the pandemic.

As Scotland begins to reopen, we desperately need to put the recovery first and invest in mental health services. We need a mental health recovery plan.