Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 17 May 2022
From speaking to communities on Shetland, for example, I know that it is not just about the issue that Alasdair Allan has raised. A whole host of things bring down energy bills. There is the viability of offshore and onshore wind energy and other forms of energy that support the communities. It is important that we look at the energy mix in the round to ensure that people can live and work and have their livelihoods protected on the islands.
I want to touch on the islands’ lack of trust in the Scottish National Party’s ability to manage the ferries. I listened to Kate Forbes responding to Jamie Greene’s topical question, and it is almost as if it is an inconvenience that we keep talking about the issue, but it is really important to islanders. It is an absolute insult and it is outrageous that, for years, the Scottish Government has not been able to deliver ferries. It is about connectivity, lifelines, transport to health and education, tourism and jobs—and those things are all really important. For every four-person family household on the islands, the waste and the overspend on the cost of ferries was £100. That is a lot of money that could be going towards decarbonising the islands.
Another key factor that has contributed to island depopulation is the abandonment of crofters. When I asked the cabinet secretary, in a Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee meeting, when the Scottish Government planned to bring forward crofting reform, she could not provide a ballpark date. Crofters are completely ignored by the Government; it is no wonder that their numbers are dwindling. Urgent help is required from the Government to breathe new life into a once-thriving industry that lay at the heart of island communities.