Halcro Johnston: SNP “all at sea” over ferry pledge
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has slammed the Scottish Government for its response to his inquiries into fair funding for internal ferries in Orkney and Shetland.
After repeated attempts to get clarity from various SNP ministers on the issue, the Scottish Conservative MSP had written to Nicola Sturgeon asking her to lay out her Government’s position on the issue. However, Mr Halcro Johnston has now received a letter from the Transport and Islands Minister Humza Yousaf MSP which repeats previous SNP claims that “Shetland & Orkney’s inter-island ferry services are the responsibility of Shetland & Orkney Islands Councils”.
The letter goes on to deny there was any agreement to provide support for these lifeline services, despite former SNP Transport Minister Keith Brown accepting in the Scottish Parliament that there had been an agreement when he was in post.
Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“It is clear that the SNP are all at sea over their commitments to fair ferry funding.
“In December, the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy Keith Brown admitted what we all knew – that there had been a policy of fair funding for the internal ferries from as long ago as when he was Transport Minister. Now, current Transport Minister Humza Yousaf is trying to desperately back-peddle from that commitment.
“When Alex Salmond came to the islands ahead of the Scottish referendum in 2014, he made a clear pledge to the people of Orkney and Shetland that the Scottish Government would bring forward arrangements for fair funding of the internal ferries. For the Scottish Government to turn around now and say that commitment was meaningless beggars belief.
“I will continue to press the SNP Government to implement the decision of the Scottish Parliament and bring forward proposals to implement its long-standing pledge to fair funding.”