Government wrong about free personal care

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Oct 2007

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Ross Finnie MSP has expressed his disappointment at the Scottish Government's handling of Lord Macphail's judicial review of a decision by the Public Services Ombudsman regarding free personal care.

Speaking ahead of a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Finnie called on the Scottish Government to accept that it was wrong not to be represented at the judicial review of the Ombudsman's decision about free personal care in Argyll and Bute.

Commenting, Mr Finnie said:

"In not appearing at the judicial review, the Scottish Government failed to stand up for the public interest. Lord Macphail made it very clear in his judgement that he was disappointed that representatives for the Scottish Government did not assist him in making his decision.

"It is staggering that the Cabinet Secretary refuses to acknowledge that the Scottish Government made a serious error in failing to be represented at the judicial review. I will looking for an apology in today's debate, but at the very least an admission that the Scottish Government was in the wrong and that this astonishing dereliction of duty will not be repeated."