Scottish Government don’t understand needs of islands claims Halcro Johnston

Constituents in the Highlands and Islands feel the Scottish Government is disconnected from the challenges facing local communities, Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has claimed.

The MSP, has said the initial responses to his Annual Parliamentary Report survey suggest those living in the Highlands and Islands feel let down by the Scottish Government on certain issues, pointing specifically to transport funding and farming payment delays.

Mr Halcro Johnston, who is a regional MSP for the Highlands and Islands, invited responses from constituents in the area on a range of issues, with one of his questions being “Do you think the Scottish Government understands the needs of rural and remote communities?”

He says the responses he received suggest First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP Government should “stop agitating for a second independence referendum” and “focus on everyday issues such as health and education.”

The MSP has said the responses to him from residents in Orkney raised concerns over the centralisation of services and local transport links. While In Shetland, issues were again raised on the centralisation of services and on transport, but the state of the local economy was also a real concern for Shetlanders.

Mr Halcro Johnston MSP said: “While these are only the initial responses, I have been extremely pleased with the level of engagement so far on my survey. An overwhelming majority of respondents have said they do not think the Scottish Government understands the needs of remote and rural communities, and that is a pretty damning indictment of the SNP’s performance after their 11 years in charge of Scotland.

“It is absolutely clear that residents from across the Highlands and Islands feel completely detached from a Scottish Government in Edinburgh which has all too often centralised services and not listened to the concerns of local people.”

He added: “In Orkney, those concerns focused on local transport links and, given the promises made and promises delayed by the SNP Government on both RET for the Northern Isles and funding for our internal ferries, it’s not hard to see why SNP “commitments” are often taken with a pinch of salt.

“Orkney often feels let down by an SNP Government which has failed to realise the impact of its actions — or lack thereof — on things like transport funding and farming payment delays.”

The Orcadian contacted SNP MSP Maree Todd, who also represents the Highlands and Islands area, to reply to Mr Halcro Johnston’s comments.

She said: “The Scottish Government and the SNP are proud to champion all our island communities and our record speaks for itself.

“We have introduced an Islands Bill that includes a requirement to ‘island proof’ all future legislation and policies. This bill underpins our ambition and commitment promoting our Islands’ voices, to harnessing our islands’ resources and enhancing their well-being.

“However, the Islands Bill should not be seen in isolation, it’s just one part of a bigger picture of legislative and policy activity that is underway to support our Island communities. This includes investment in housing, ferry services, air travel, digital and mobile programmes and our commitment to providing the net revenue from Crown Estate marine assets out to 12 nautical miles to coastal and island councils.

“I am well aware of many of the distinct challenges our island communities face; including geographic remoteness, declining populations, transport and digital connections.

“Jamie Halcro-Johnston has a brass neck to criticise the Scottish Government when his own Tory party made no formal reference to the Islands in their manifesto, and the UK government continues to let islanders down. Both the Scottish Tories and the UK Government continue to display an alarming disconnect from our Island communities.

“It is clear that the Tories plan to seize control over agriculture as part of their Brexit power grab in case the Scottish and Welsh Governments use those powers to help farmers. SPICe figures show that Scotland would lose out on over €2bn in subsidies if CAP funding is replaced by UK-wide per capita funding because it has a much higher concentration of farmers and crofters.

“This is the ‘centralisation’ that all politicians in Scotland should be campaigning against. Jamie Halcro Johnston, instead of concocting centralisation myths around the SNP, should look at what his own party’s position threatens Orkney’s farmers. However, it appears that he is so anti-SNP that he is blind to his own Tory Government’s Brexit power grab, which will definitely harm the Orkney economy.

“The Scottish Government is strongly committed to tackling the unique challenges facing islanders and will continue working with our Island communities.”