McArthur tackles minister over underfunding and support internal ferries

The issue of Orkney’s relative underfunding compared to Shetland and the Western Isles was again raised in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon by local MSP, Liam McArthur.

During Finance Questions, Orkney’s MSP drew attention to the long-standing nature of this problem and asked ministers to look at innovative ways of addressing the unequal treatment of Orkney in relation to Scotland’s other two island authorities.

Commenting after the exchange, Mr McArthur said: “I have been raising this issue with SNP Ministers ever since I was first elected as Orkney’s MSP in 2007. To date, there has been next to no progress in addressing a shortfall that continues to penalise Orkney.

“Any change to the funding formula would require agreement by the other local authorities in Scotland, most of whom have a vested interest in sticking with the status quo. There are options open to ministers, however, to find ways of filling Orkney’s funding gap.

“In the past, assistance has been provided for specific transport projects, including the lengthening of the mv Shapinsay. I was disappointed, therefore, that Derek Mackay was unwilling to look at a similar arrangement in relation to the mv Hoy Head.

“For Mr Mackay then to suggest that the Government is already putting additional funding into the islands through, for example, Road Equivalent Tariff support only adds insult to injury.

“I will be writing to the minister to point out that Orkney has been specifically excluded from the RET scheme and that this simply reinforces the need for the SNP Government to respond positively to the proposal I made this afternoon. Anything less will be seen by my constituents as a slap in the face.”