Red Tie for Haiti

In Parliament I was recently seen sporting a red tie. The Red Tie was not as the result of any change of political loyalties, nor even a tribute to the Uist family with this famous hereditary nickname.

Everyone in Parliament agreed to wear red for a day to publicise the campaign to raise funds for the people of Haiti following their appalling tragedy. Well done to the people in Uist and Benbecula, including the schoolchildren I met at Balivanich Hall who played their part in raising money for this important cause.

There was good news for crofters this month, when Crofting Minister Roseanna Cunningham announced that the Bull Hire Scheme will be continuing from the Government-owned stud farm in Inverness. This is an issue which many crofters in Uist have contacted me about.

Following a review, the Scottish Government has concluded that the scheme should be continued, as its loss would have had huge implications in the crofting communities.

I am delighted that the Minister has agreed with the review’s recommendations, and brought the long running uncertainty about the scheme to an end. This announcement is further evidence that the government is listening to the wishes of crofters.

The Scottish Parliament has recently passed the SNP Government’s third budget, which contains a number of issues relevant to the Western Isles.

One of the toughest tasks for the Government has been putting together spending plans that cope with a £500 million cut made to Scotland’s budget for this year by the UK Government.

That said, the budget contains items which are of distinct benefit to the islands. First is the boiler scrappage scheme, which will see millions of pounds invested by the Government to replace inefficient boilers and broader energy efficiency measures.

Another area is the complete removal of business rates for a huge number of small businesses in Scotland. This move by the Scottish Government will undoubtedly help island businesses, virtually all of which are classed as small.

Prescription charges will also now be cut to £3 in April and will be abolished completely for everyone in Scotland next spring. Council tax has been frozen for a further year, recognising the hardship faced by many people, including pensioners.

There was no meaningful attempt made to amend this year’s budget although one party unsurprisingly voted against the whole thing. The Scottish Government, however, working with the Parliament as a whole, has provided a good deal for Scotland and the islands in tough economic times.

BBC Alba on Freeview

The Scottish Parliament has recently added its voice to the campaign to have BBC Alba shown on Freeview without delay. Speaking in Gaelic, I took part in a parliamentary debate recently on this subject

Across the whole of Scotland people welcomed BBC Alba when it started just over a year ago. It was another step on the road to the normalisation of Gaelic and its acceptance in the broadcasting world as a distinctive and appealing Gaelic voice.

BBC Alba’s job would be much easier though, if the channel was available on Freeview. This would bring it to 83% of homes in Scotland – not just those with a satellite dish.