Author: Rhoda Grant

MSP Rhoda Grant has welcomed Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s “Covid-19” clothing grant for struggling families to buy extra school clothing layers for colder classrooms this winter. 

The Labour Highlands & Islands MSP wrote to the region’s six local authorities asking what specific sources of funding were available for families who are struggling financially to fork out for thermals and extra winter clothing layers.

Government guidance says classroom windows should be open more often to keep the room ventilated with fresh air as an anti-Covid measure.

 With replies in from all councils bar Highland, which is still processing, Mrs Grant said she particularly welcomed the “proactive” funding approach from the local authority in the Western Isles.

She said: “All local authorities have welfare funds for families to apply to but Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is reaching out to its families, taking a more proactive approach. They are writing to all their families who were in receipt of a £100 clothing grant this year and they’re inviting them to apply for a further £100 grant specifically for the purchase of additional winter clothing for the children.

“To me, that sounds like a really good way of ensuring children from the most disadvantaged families have warmer layers going to school to sit in classrooms that will probably be a bit colder than normal for this time of the year. I’m going to write to the other local authorities to ask if this is a model they could follow.”

She added: “It was clear from the responses I received from the other councils that a mountain of work is going on in schools to sensibly navigate this classroom window–open policy to ensure pupils are comfortable but at the same time at less risk of the Covid-19 infection.

“This is a really challenging time for our school leaders and staff and I applaud each and every one of them.”

Ends.

 

Highland health campaigner Mary Ramsay and MSP Rhoda Grant are calling for Scottish patients to have the same access as English patients to a new treatment for Essential Tremor.

Mrs Ramsay’s petition will again be heard by the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee on Wednesday next week (December 9) when Consultant Neurosurgeon Professor Dipankar Nandi, a leading medical expert in his field, is due to speak on the ground-breaking technology.

The committee will also view a short video of a patient’s experience of the treatment.

Mrs Ramsay, who has Essential Tremor, has petitioned the Scottish Government to back the provision of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) technology within the health service in Scotland.

However, NHS Scotland has previously rejected funding based on its interpretation of the evidence and NICE guidance. But NHS England has now agreed to fund the technology based on the same evidence and 16 other countries worldwide already use it.

Mrs Ramsay, Chair of the Scottish Tremor Society, has campaigned for many years for the new treatment to help others with the condition.

She has been supported along the way by Mrs Grant, who represents the Highlands and Islands, and local members of Inclusion Scotland.

“What I really want to know is the Scottish Government’s view on access for patients here, now that treatment has been given approval in England and is now endorsed by NHS England,” said Mrs Ramsay, who lives in Dalneigh, Inverness.

Mrs Grant added: “It would be a great pity if something that could improve the quality of life for thousands of people is only available south of the border and Scottish patients are left out in the cold. It has also been proved to save money which is an added bonus considering our country’s current cash strapped situation.”

Focus ultrasound is non-invasive and uses MRI imaging to guide high powered, focused ultrasound to a very small point. At that point, molecules are vibrated extremely quickly, which creates intense local heat which destroys the tissue. The technology allows clinicians to target a very specific focal point – with very little heating produced in front of and behind that point, so only the targeted tissue is affected.

The Public Petitions Committee previously agreed that the treatment had benefits and went back to the Scottish Government to ask why a decision has stalled, what was needed to achieve the introduction of the treatment and what the timescales were.

It is estimated that there could be 4000 people in Scotland with Essential Tremor. The main treatment at the moment is brain surgery or deep brain stimulation (DBS), where electrodes are inserted into the brain. Some people with the condition do not want to endure the operation and DBS is expensive. The focus equipment is cheaper and is also a much less invasive procedure.

Mrs Ramsay, who will be watching the committee virtually from her home, has had DBS. Her condition causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking and can affect almost any part of the body. She would not benefit from the ultra sound treatment but is passionate that others could.

• Rhoda Grant achieved cross-party support for a Scottish Parliament debate on Mary’s campaign in 2018.
• Fundraising for the equipment is being run by the University of Dundee.
• Essential Tremor [ET] has no known cause. It is most common in the elderly but two-thirds in a recent survey developed symptoms of ET before the age of 50. ET affects both sexes and all ethnic groups and children.
• People with ET may be so embarrassed by their tremor that they do not leave their home and become depressed. This embarrassment may impact on jobs and income. As many as 25% of patients are forced to retire prematurely, and in one study 60% said they had chosen not to apply for a job or promotion because of uncontrollable shaking. In a recent UK survey by the National Tremor Foundation, almost 20% of respondents had to stop working completely, 7% had to change occupation, and 6% had to reduce their working hours
• At present, the only non-pharmacological treatment for severe tremor that is having an unacceptable effect on someone’s quality of life is deep brain stimulation (DBS): as DBS is invasive surgery in which wires are permanently inserted into the brain, some people are not suitable for it because of other diseases (comorbidities) and some do not feel able to consent to a procedure which involves permanent implants and lifelong supervision.

Regional Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant is encouraged that a system failure within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that led to Argyll and Bute patients being given appointments that are too early has been addressed and is calling for the 10:30am policy to become “common knowledge”.

Numerous constituents from the area contacted Mrs Grant to raise issues relating to the inconvenient appointment times that they were given by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. It was thought that these appointment times were given with no consideration for travel – either by car or by public transport.

Mrs Grant raised this with the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Jane Grant, and she was told that in 2017 a system was put in place to ensure that patients from Argyll and Bute were not receiving any appointments before 10:30am. It was thought that this was running effectively however, there were changes made to the booking system in reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic and that this change has caused the system to falter.

She concludes her letter by stressing that this 10:30am rule has been reinforced to the Medical Records Team and that they are willing to accommodate patient requests where possible.

Rhoda Grant said: “I’m grateful to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for admitting the fault and moving quickly to resolve the issue. It’s nearly impossible for people in Argyll and Bute to travel and be on time for a 9am appointment however, it must be said that 10:30am is still quite ambitious and I will continue to raise this with them.”

Mrs Grant continued: “I want this information to become common knowledge to my constituents within the area so if they receive an appointment before 10:30am, that they know that this can be quickly rectified.”

 

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, is furious that the UK and Scottish Governments have failed the workers at Arnish by claiming there is no legal route to provide further financial support to BiFab in its current form.

Scottish Labour’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work spokesperson, Alex Rowley, has called for the Scottish Government to publish the legal advice that led them to make a judgement to pull the guarantee.

Mrs Grant said “This is devastating news for the Arnish workers, their families and the wider community in Lewis. This decision needs to be properly scrutinised and the Scottish Government needs to make the legal advice public in order for that scrutiny to take place.”

She continued “Instead of blaming the yard owners and setting up another talking shop (Working Group), Scottish Ministers should be looking to their own actions. The Scottish Government, far from saving BiFab, appears to have cost it contracts which has damaged the Western Isles economy.”

“While both of our governments try to turn their backs on the workers at Arnish, I will be pressing for the Lewis yard to be decoupled and allowed to peruse contracts as a separate entity.”

Rhoda Grant raised concerns in Parliament today (Thursday 19^TH November) that people in remote and rural Highlands & Islands will have less access to the Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available.

Speaking to the chamber and addressing the Cabinet Secretary Jeane Freeman, the Labour Highlands & Islands MSP said: “The cabinet secretary will be aware that many of my constituents cannot access Covid-19 testing simply because of where they live. Can she give them the reassurance that they will receive the vaccine regardless of where they live? They really need a reassurance that they are not going to be left behind.”

Mrs Freeman replied: “It is entirely for GPs to volunteer to do the vaccine, so the GPs and the practice nurse and other clinical teams are very welcome to be involved in this programme, we have reached an agreement with the British Medical Association on financial reimbursement for them to do that.

The assurance I give is that we will do everything that we can to ensure that every citizen in Scotland who is eligible for this vaccine, so that’s all adults over the age of 18, is able to be vaccinated whether that be we take it to their own home or via a mobile unit.”

Mrs Freeman added that a number of mobile testing units would be set up across the constituency.

Speaking afterwards Mrs Grant said: “I was grateful for the reassurances I was given in chamber today and I will be delighted to see these mobile testing centres. People in many parts of my constituency have certainly had to be patient.

“However, despite the cabinet secretary’s encouraging words, the real fear for many will be that the struggle to access a test will be mirrored by a new struggle to access the vaccine. I will be doing all that I can to point out to the government the nature of our remote and rural communities to make sure that she fully understands.”

Mrs Grant last week highlighted that there were large swathes of the Highlands and Islands where ordering a Covid-19 home testing kit was a useless exercise due to the postal delivery and collection system.

Prompted by constituents saying they could not receive a home test, she asked the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre to research a list of all areas where tests could not be delivered.

The independent research uncovered that people in Inverness and Moray were covered, but large areas were not including postcodes on the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

However, NHS Shetland’s Chief Executive, Michael Dickson, has now revealed how his health authority set up its bespoke system and Mrs Grant is asking the Scottish Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, if other rural and remote areas could do the same.

 

REGIONAL Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has welcomed a commitment from Moray Council to go back to serving hot school meals.

It comes after she wrote to all local authority chief executives in Highlands & Islands in August, raising her concerns about the nutritional content of the cold packed lunch which was being made up in canteens and served to pupils in their classrooms as part of social distancing measures.

Mrs Grant was concerned a hot school dinner was the only cooked meal of the day for some children and she raised the issue in Parliament and with deputy First Minister John Swinney.

She argued appropriate measures should be taken, where possible, particularly in the colder months, to ensure all pupils were given a hot lunch in school.

And now, in a letter to the MSP this week, Moray Council has confirmed it has returned to a hot meal option.

Mrs Grant said: “These last few months must have been very challenging for our school leaders. Having to navigate government guidance to ensure compliance to ensure our children stayed safe must have been a battle. But it saddened me to hear children were being handed a sandwich and some side bits, but nothing warm, nothing cooked, for their lunch. For too many children that school meal was their only hot meal of the day. That’s why I was so glad to receive Moray Council’s letter this week confirming all schools in the council area will now be serving hot lunches again. I’m sure this will also be very welcome news for parents.”

 

 

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has praised NHS Shetland’s health team for setting up its own Covid-19 home testing system.

Mr Grant last week highlighted that there were large swathes of the Highlands and Islands where ordering a Covid-19 home testing kit was a useless exercise due to the postal delivery and collection system.

Prompted by constituents saying they could not receive a home test, she asked the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre to research a list of all areas where tests could not be delivered.

The independent research unearthed that people in Inverness and Moray were covered, but large areas were not including postcodes on the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

However, NHS Shetland’s Chief Executive, Michael Dickson, has now revealed how his health authority set up its bespoke system and Mrs Grant is asking the Scottish Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, if other rural and remote areas could do the same.

“I was inspired by Shetland’s example, which managed to get around a major flaw in national planning for Covid testing,” explained Mrs Grant.

“However, the Chief Executive did tell me it wasn’t an easy task and required a lot of work to get it up and running.

“I have now contacted Ms Freeman to ask if other areas of the region could learn from Shetland’s example and set up their own individual delivery, pick-up and results systems so residents can receive quick and accurate results without leaving their homes.

“I was pleased to hear that Shetland’s home testing scheme had protected its on-island capacity for those who are more unwell or may require transfer to the mainland for treatment.”

Mr Dickson told Mrs Grant credit for the work has to go to the Covid testing team in NHS Shetland led by the Public Health Consultant Susan Laidlaw.

Any resident of Shetland makes contact using a web form which generates an email to the testing team. For those who can’t access the internet we have a dedicated phone line.

After the request is received, contact is made to arrange for a dedicated driver to make a safe drop off and a pick-up time for the self-test kits.

If, for example, the call is received on a Monday morning the test would be dropped off and if possible picked up that afternoon.

The test is then securely packaged up with the others that need processing and dispatched that night on the overnight ferry from Shetland which arrives into Aberdeen at 7am Tuesday morning, a courier collects it and transports it Glasgow Lighthouse Lab for processing and the health board and the patient usually receive the result on Wednesday.

Mrs Grant was told that flights could be used but the ferry was more reliable.

Last week Mrs Grant explained that alarm bells rang for her when two constituents living just 50 or 60 miles from Inverness, in two different areas, discovered they could not get a home-testing kit.

NHS Highland’s new Chief Executive, Pam Dudek said: “I am afraid that access to postal COVID testing as part of the UK Testing Service is still not possible in many parts of NHS Highland and we have not been able to get access across the whole area.

“This relates to the configuration of the UK postal testing system and is not connected to the way local laboratory tests are carried out.

“Other testing routes are available such as the mobile units and assessment centres, but these may not be suitable for people who do not have access to transport. There is potential for individual arrangements to be made for transporting people to tests, but this will not be possible in all cases. We are continuing to look for ways to expand testing and to facilitate home testing in areas without access to the postal service, but I am sorry that this is not yet in place and recognise the frustration that it causes.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has been told work to install new 50mph speed limit signs on the A9 Tain bypass is nearing completion.

Transport Scotland has written to her after she took up constituents’ concerns about road safety around Tain’s Aldi and Lidl junctions.

BEAR Scotland is currently completing the installation of electrical cabling for illuminated signs on the A9 and will affix the remaining signs to posts once this is complete. It is expected that all works will be finished by the middle of November, however this may change due to weather and/or unforeseen circumstances.

Mrs Grant said: “I understand the new limit will not come into force for up to a month, to allow the change to go through a legal process. However, I do hope that a lower speed will lead to fewer accidents on this stretch, especially with winter just around the corner.”

Mrs Grant was initially contacted two years ago by constituents who told her that ‘nearly every week’ an incident happens’ around the Asda and Lidl junctions. At the time it was highlighted that 11 accidents had taken place around the Tain junctions, labelling it the worst A9 hotspot.

Transport Scotland is looking into other safety measures including the community’s call to have roundabouts at the junctions.

There are large swathes of the Highlands and Islands where any request for a Covid-19 home testing kit is a useless exercise, a regional MSP has uncovered.

Prompted by constituents saying they could not receive a home test, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, asked the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre to research a list of all areas where tests could not be delivered.

The independent research unearthed that people in Inverness and Moray were covered, but large areas were not including postcodes on the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

Mrs Grant was shocked by the results.

“Alarm bells rang for me when two constituents living just 50 or 60 miles from Inverness, in two different areas, discovered they could not get a home-testing kit,” explained Mrs Grant.

“However, I wasn’t prepared for the research to find that most of the region could not get a test delivered to their door which is disgraceful and shows, once again, how we are just missed out of Government planning and development.

“While, the Scottish and UK Governments are quick to highlight mobile, permanent and walk-in testing units, some constituents may not have transport, or be able to use transport to these centres and they may be miles away, or be a carer for someone more vulnerable.

“If people can’t get access to testing it makes a mockery of all the Government announcements on ‘if you have symptoms get a test’. It just beggars belief! The Scottish Government cannot wash its hands of this and bat the blame back to the UK Government. It has to represent people in our region.”

Mrs Grant did take up the issue with the Scottish Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman and with NHS Highland.

NHS Highland’s new Chief Executive, Pam Dudek said: “I am afraid that access to postal COVID testing as part of the UK Testing Service is still not possible in many parts of NHS Highland and we have not been able to get access across the whole area.

“This relates to the configuration of the UK postal testing system and is not connected to the way local laboratory tests are carried out.

“Other testing routes are available such as the mobile units and assessment centres, but these may not be suitable for people who do not have access to transport. There is potential for individual arrangements to be made for transporting people to tests, but this will not be possible in all cases. We are continuing to look for ways to expand testing and to facilitate home testing in areas without access to the postal service, but I am sorry that this is not yet in place and recognise the frustration that it causes.”

Public Health Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick, who replied for Ms Freeman, said in his response: “Clearly the pressure on the UK system is intense and we need the testing programme to work for all of the UK, to be able to flex to meet the changing profile of this virus and to be accessible to all people regardless of circumstances. We agreed to take part in a UK wide testing network in good faith, foregoing consequential funding as a result, as this was and ideally remains the most effective efficient way of securing access to test kits and lab capacity.”

Ends

Note for editors  list of postcodes which Covid-19 tests cannot be delivered to and SPICe research below that:

 

Argyll & Bute

• PA20 – Isle of Bute & Midpark
• PA28 – Campbeltown, Southend, Carradale & Sanda Island
• PA29 – Tarbert & surrounding area
• PA30 – Ardrishaig & Inverneil
• PA31 – Lochgilphead & surrounding area
• PA32 – Inveraray
• PA33 – Dalmally
• PA34 – Oban, Toberonochy, Arduaine, Ellenabeich, Lismore, Balliemore, Easdale, Luing, Scarba
• PA36 – Bridge of Orchy
• PA41 – Isle of Gigha
• PA42 – Port Ellen & southern Islay, Isle of Islay
• PA43 – Bowmore, Isle of Islay
• PA44 – Bridgend, Sanaigmore & Nave Island, Isle of Islay
• PA45 – Ballygrant, Isle of Islay
• PA46 – Port Askaig & Bunnahabhain, Isle of Islay
• PA47 – Port Wemyss, Isle of Islay
• PA48 – Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay
• PA49 – Kilchoman & Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay
• PA60 – Isle of Jura
• PA61 – Colonsay & Oronsay
• PA62 – Lochbuie, Isle of Mull
• PA63 – Kinlochspelve & Croggan, Isle of Mull
• PA64 – Auchnacraig & Gorten, Isle of Mull
• PA65 – Garmony & Craignure, Isle of Mull
• PA66 – Fionnphort, Isle of Mull
• PA67 – Bunessan, Isle of Mull
• PA68 – Balnahard, Dhiseig & Inch Kenneth, Isle of Mull
• PA69 – Balevulin, Isle of Mull
• PA70 – Pennyghael, Carsaig & Scoor, Isle of Mull

 

 

 

 

• PA71 – Gruline, Isle of Mull
• PA72 – Salen, Isle of Mull
• PA73 – Ballygown, Ulva & Gometra, Isle of Mull
• PA74 – Kilninian, Isle of Mull
• PA75 – Tobermory, Isle of Mull
• PA76 – Isle of Iona
• PA77 – Isle of Tiree
• PA78 – Isle of Coll

 

Caithness, Sutherland & Ross

• IV6 – Marybank
• IV17 – Alness
• IV18 – Invergordon
• IV19 – Tain
• IV20 – Portmahomack
• IV21 – Gairloch
• IV22 – Achnasheen
• IV23 – Garve
• IV24 – Ardgay
• IV25 – Dornoch
• IV26 – Ullapool
• IV27 – Lairg
• IV28 – Rogart
• IV54 – Strathcarron & Applecross
• KW1 – Wick & John O’Groats
• KW2 – Whaligoe
• KW3 – Lybster
• KW5 – Latheron
• KW6 – Dunbeath
• KW7 – Berriedale
• KW8 – Helmsdale

 

 

• KW9 – Brora
• KW10 – Golspie
• KW11 – Kinbrace
• KW12 – Halkirk & Gobernuisgeach
• KW13 – Forsinard
• KW14 – Thurso and northern Caithness from Skerray to East Mey
• KW4 – Doesn’t exist?

 

Na h-Eileanan an Iar

• HS1 – Stornoway
• HS2 – Lewis
• HS3 – Harris
• HS4 – Isle of Scalpay
• HS5 – Leverburgh
• HS6 – North Uist
• HS7 – Benbecula
• HS8 – South Uist
• HS9 – Barra and Vatersay

 

Orkney Islands

• KW15 – Kirkwall
• KW16 – Stromness, Voy, Skaill, Sandwick, Graemsay, Hoy, Rackwick, Murra, Lyness, Longhope, Brims, Flotta, Fara

 

 

• KW17 – All of Orkney Islands except Kirkwall, Stromness, Skaill, Hoy, Lyness, Longhope, Flotta

 

Shetland Islands

• ZE1 – Lerwick, Gremista & Scalloway
• ZE2 – All of Shetland Islands (including Fair Isle, Foula & Bruray) except Lerwick, Gremista, Scalloway, Sumburgh & Toab
• ZE3 – Sumburgh & Toab

 

Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch

• IV4 – Beauly
• IV6 – Muir of Ord
• IV8 – Munlochy
• IV9 – Avoch
• IV10 – Fortrose
• IV11 – Cromarty
• IV40 – Kyle of Lochalsh & Raasay
• IV41 – Kyleakin, Skye
• IV42 – Ashaig, Skye
• IV43 – Isleornsay, Skye
• IV44 – Kilmore, Skye
• IV45 – Aird of Sleat, Skye
• IV46 – Tarskavaig, Skye
• IV47 – Carbost, Skye
• IV48 – Sconser, Skye
• IV49 – Broadford, Scalpay & Pabay, Skye
• IV51 – Portree, Skye
• IV52 – Plockton
• IV53 – Stromeferry
• IV55 – Dunvegan, Milovaig & Stein, Skye
• IV56 – Struan, Skye

 

 

• IV63 – Drumnadrochit
• PA80 – Lochaline
• PH30 – Corrour
• PH31 – Roybridge & Roughburn
• PH32 – Fort Augustus
• PH33 – Fort William & surrounding area
• PH34 – Spean Bridge, Loch Lochy & Loch Arkaig
• PH35 – Invergarry & Loch Quoich
• PH36 – Ardnamurchan & Loch Sunart
• PH37 – Glenfinnan & Loch Shiel
• PH38 – Lochailort, Roshven & Glenuig
• PH39 – Arisaig
• PH40 – Loch Morar
• PH41 – Mallaig, Inverie, Isle of Muck & Soay
• PH42 – Isle of Eigg
• PH43 – Isle of Rum
• PH44 – Isle of Canna
• PH49 – Glencoe & Ballachulish
• PH50 – Kinlochleven

 

SPICe research

 

Areas which cannot receive home testing kits

You asked for any information available on the areas you represent which cannot receive home testing kits due to delivery delay to the main laboratory.

There are 2 sets of exclusion zones in which the Home Testing Kit (HTK) service has limited operation. Where they overlap, the HTK service cannot operate at all.
They are:

• locations that the Royal Mail cannot collect from
• locations that lack Priority post-boxes

The Scottish Government provided a list of the Royal Mail excluded collection postcodes. Not all fall within the Highlands and Islands region but I have included the list in full for completeness below:

Falkirk: FK17,FK18,FK19,FK20,FK21
Outer Hebrides: HS9,HS8,HS7,HS6,HS5,HS4,HS3,HS2,HS1
Inverness: IV4,IV6,IV8,IV9,IV10,IV11,IV21,IV22,IV23,IV24,IV26,IV27,IV40,IV41,IV44,IV45,IV46,IV47,IV49,IV54,IV63,IV99,IV51,IV17,IV18,IV19,IV20,IV25,IV28,IV42,IV43,IV48,IV52,IV53,IV55,IV56
Kilmarnock: KA27,
Kirkwall: KW8,KW9,KW11,KW13,KW17,KW16,KW15,KW1,KW2,KW3,KW4,KW5,KW6,KW7,KW10,KW12,KW14,
Paisley: PA80,PA78,PA77,PA76,PA75,PA74,PA73,PA72,PA71,PA70,PA69,PA68,PA67,PA66,PA65,PA64,PA63,PA62,PA61,PA60,PA49,PA48,PA47,PA46,PA45,PA44,PA43,PA42,PA41,PA36,PA34,PA33,PA32,PA31,PA30,PA29,PA28,PA20
Perth: PH50,PH49,PH44,PH43,PH42,PH41,PH40,PH39,PH38,PH37,PH36,PH35,PH34,PH33,PH32,PH31,PH30
Shetland: Truro: ZE3,ZE2,ZE1

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has quizzed Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary, Fergus Ewing, on how the Scottish Government is going to tackle residents’ concerns about dirty camping and future tourism pressure on Highlands and Islands communities.

In answer to a Parliamentary Question, Mr Ewing said a multi-agency group, which met in September, will report back in November to look at solutions and make recommendations to Ministers.

The group will address two themes, education, engagement and enforcement and a national visitor management plan, along with the provision of visitor facilities, Mr Ewing said.

Mrs Grant said: “While it’s good that this group is meeting and plans to consult with other interests, including the private sector, it is worrying that Mr Ewing has stressed adequate service provision is ultimately for the local authority or national park authority involved.

“Councils and public agencies in our region were already struggling with their finances before this pandemic hit and the extra stress caused by Covid-19 will further tie their hands to invest in solutions.

“Communities and local businesses want the Scottish Government to hear their voices on this issue and want to be assured that next year there are solutions and infrastructure in place to relieve pressure on pinch points such as the NC500 and on the Western Isles.”

Ends

Note for editors the PQ reply

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

26 October 2020

Index Heading: Economy

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what actions were agreed as a result of the meeting convened by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism on 14 September 202 with public agencies to discuss issues associated with camping, pressure on rural communities and the local environment, particularly in relation to the Highlands and Islands.

S5W-32106

Fergus Ewing: The group agreed to identify how public bodies, communities and national park and local authorities might work closer to identify long term solutions to visitor management at rural pinch points and scenic areas.

The group agreed to consult with wider interests, including the private sector, and to identify solutions and make recommendations to Ministers along 2 workstreams – one aimed at addressing education, engagement and enforcement and one to examine a national visitor management plan and an overview of collective visitor facilities provision. This group will report back in November.

While the responsibility for adequate service provision is ultimately for the local authority or national park authority involved, we recognise that many areas of rural Scotland have seen an uplift of visitors in recent years. This group will therefore build on the work of the successful £9m Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund which has helped realise material solutions at rural pinch points through the installation of infrastructure such as car parks, toilets and motorhome waste disposal points.

The group agreed to identify how public bodies, communities and national park and local authorities might work closer to identify long term solutions to visitor management at rural pinch points and scenic areas.

The group agreed to consult with wider interests, including the private sector, and to identify solutions and make recommendations to Ministers along 2 workstreams – one aimed at addressing education, engagement and enforcement and one to examine a national visitor management plan and an overview of collective visitor facilities provision. This group will report back in November.

While the responsibility for adequate service provision is ultimately for the local authority or national park authority involved, we recognise that many areas of rural Scotland have seen an uplift of visitors in recent years. This group will therefore build on the work of the successful £9m Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund which has helped realise material solutions at rural pinch points through the installation of infrastructure such as car parks, toilets and motorhome waste disposal points.