SMITH HITS OUT AT SNP DENTIST HYPOCRISY

12.00.00am GMT Wed 7th Nov 2007

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has hit out at SNP MSP Tricia Marwick with regard to her comments about the state of NHS Dentistry in Fife.

Mr Smith said, "It has been Liberal Democrat and Labour MSPs that have been leading the fight to improve dental services in Fife over the past four years. As a result, the previous administration increased the funding available to NHS Fife to provide direct NHS dental services such as the proposed dental access clinic at Cupar.

"When I challenged the Health Minister, Shona Robson, on what additional support the new SNP Government would be giving she said there would be none, basically admitting the SNP Government had no plans other than to continue to implement the initiatives started by the previous Liberal Democrat/Labour Executive.

" Whilst these initiatives will help, more needs to be done to ensure everyone has access to an NHS Dentist. Frankly it is outrageous for an SNP MSP like Tricia Marwick who complained about the lack of action by the previous Government to now refuse to press the new SNP administration to do more," concluded Iain Smith.

ENDS