Prior to the election, the SNP released a ‘First Steps’ document outlining 80 different pledges that would be met within the first 100 days of being elected.

Nicola Sturgeon’s party were never crystal clear on when that timer should begin counting and was due to start.

The opposition claims it began the moment they were elected, with the Scottish Government arguing it began on the day Nicola Sturgeon was elected as First Minister on May 18, with the 100 days up on August 25.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Following an analysis of the pledges promised by the SNP, The Scotsman can reveal around two thirds (63 per cent) of the promises have been met as of yesterday.

However, more than a third have seen no public announcements or progression since the election, including significant pledges such as beginning the process of a Covid-19 inquiry.

Here The Scotsman takes a look at the progress made by the SNP 100 days out from the election and awards a grade under key categories, while assessing what work remains for the Scottish Government in the next ten days.

Covid-19: B

Nicola Sturgeon faced an uphill struggle to meet many of her key Covid-19 pledges after the election as the Delta variant surged across the UK.

However, while the exact timing was delayed by about a month, Scotland is now ‘beyond level zero’ and some, but not all, of the controversial extension of powers through the Coronavirus Act have been repealed.

The vaccination programme has also been a qualified success, with more than three-quarters of the population fully protected with two doses.

Among young people the figures for uptake remain low – as of yesterday just 30 per cent of 18 to 29 year-olds are double jabbed and more than a quarter have not had one dose of the vaccine – and that will concern the government.

The Scottish Government has also failed to establish a standing committee on pandemic preparedness since the election, which is another mark against them.

Public inquiry: F

This is the most egregious failure from the Scottish Government since the election.

There has been no movement at all from Ms Sturgeon to establish an inquiry beyond discussing potential timings of the UK-wide inquiry with Boris Johnson.

All this pledge required was for the government to “take steps” and a pass mark would be available had even the bare minimum, a draft remit, for example, been published.

Claiming speaking to the UK Government before launching Scotland’s own has fallen short for something that requires quick action so mistakes and potential lessons are not forgotten to time.

Health and Social Care: B-

The Scottish Government deserves credit for significant achievements such as the 4 per cent average pay rise for NHS staff – albeit announced prior to the election – when that was rubber-stamped soon after the May 6 poll.

It has also opened three fast-track cancer diagnostic centres as promised, and in an extension to the pre-election policy of removing dental charges for care-experienced young people, the government removed charges for all under-25s in June.

Ministers have also legislated for a bill around the reimbursement of costs relating to mesh removal surgery and announced a £5 million Young Patients Fund late last month.

The consultation around the establishment of the National Care Service, while controversial, was also a major step forward for that policy and a significant piece of work.

However, there are significant black marks on this record, most notably around arguably the most pressing issue, the NHS Recovery Plan.

While there have been warm words a-plenty, no formal document detailing the recovery plan has been published and there is no indication publicly of any progression.

The same can be said for the women’s health plan, promised to come alongside the recommendations of the women’s health taskforce, which has also failed the materialised.

SNP ministers also pledged to ‘take steps’ to make parking in hospitals built through PFI contracts “permanently free”, but there has been no public movement on this pledge either.

Environment and rural issues pledges: D

With COP26 on the horizon and a potential agreement with the Scottish Greens for the coming five years, the lack of movement on several of the SNP’s key policies around climate change, the environment and rural issues is disappointing.

Among the pledges yet to be met include setting up a new Green Jobs Workforce Academy, establishing a commission to review land-based education in Scotland, and appointing new islands-based crofting development officers.

No announcement has been made by the Scottish Government on any of these, and it has also yet to set out the Strategic Investment Assessment into the Scottish supply chain for offshore wind, or appointed environmental champions which were supposed to advise ministers on best practice.

There has also been no movement around the locations of Scotland’s first “carbon vertical” farms and a new integrated implementation board on sustainable farming is also yet to be established.

Some promises have been kept such as appointing Michael Matheson as Cabinet secretary for net zero and Richard Lochhead as junior minister for the just transition.

The government also successfully published is nationally determined contribution to preventing further global warming and issued a further £20m as part of its National Transition Training Fund for people who may be at risk of unemployment.

Education and children: A

This is without doubt the SNP’s best area for its pledges around the first 100 days.

Since the election the Scottish Government has announced the completion of the roll-out of 1,140 hours of free childcare, extended their promise for free school meals to P4 pupils to include P5 pupils, increased funding for clothing and food to low-income families, and abolished charges for core curriculum activities and music tuition fees.

Some of these – especially the latter – are controversial due to the fact many of the problems were caused by previous SNP policy, but in terms of the 100 days’ promises, they have been met.

The SNP has also paid the first instalment of the Scottish Attainment Fund, published the OECD review into the Curriculum for Excellence and, while not without controversy, awarded national qualifications to pupils earlier this week.

The only thing stopping an A+ is the failure to announce how all playparks in Scotland will be refurbished using just £60m.

Free bikes and laptops: F

Despite its successes with education more generally, two of the SNP’s flagship policies have seen nothing, but silence since the election.

Ms Sturgeon pledged her government would “begin the planning” of ensuring that all school pupils will have access to a tablet or a laptop within the first 100 days of government, but there is yet to be any public indication as to how this will be done or when the devices will be with the children.

Similarly, the promise to begin delivering free bikes to low-income children has yet to come to fruition.

On these, the Scottish Government has overseen a dismal failure.

Overall: C

Since the election the Scottish Government has made good progress on several of its key pledges and announced significant funding across the board.

However, given the failures around the Covid-19 inquiry, around healthcare, environmental pledges, and the promises of free laptops and bikes for children, it is impossible to award more than a passing grade of C to Ms Sturgeon and her fellow ministers.

Improvement is needed should they plan on achieving an A by August 25.

Other key pledges:

Done:

£45m for training and recruitment incentives

Funding for more industry focused courses for young people, new school co-ordinators, and increased opportunities in the third sector

£1,500 payment to taxi drivers

Free bus travel for under-22s

Restart work on Low Emission Zones

Extra cash for low-income families and carers

Student Support Fund of £20m

Missed:

Reopen the DigitalBoost fund

Fund refurbishment of all playparks

New Rented Sector Strategy and review of student accommodation

Start cladding safety assessments

Create a Scotland Touring Fund for theatre and music

Another 14 live mobile coverage masts for rural and island areas

The SNP's 100 days report card: Where has the party succeeded and failed?

Comments