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A message from the Chairman

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:10:00 +0000

Since taking over as Chairman of the Orkney Branch of the party very recently efforts have been concentrated on the elections to the Scottish Parliament and we were extremely fortunate in having Helen Gardiner as our candidate.

For the first time, thanks to a most generous benefactor, we were able to secure a campaign headquarters in the centre of Kirkwall, which provided us with a high profile and also acted as a focal point for the campaign, initiated by Helen, to seek to obtain a better deal for Orkney through the distribution of the Local Government Block Grant when compared with the other island areas of Shetland and the Western Isles.

This campaign certainly caught the public imagination and it was noticeable that this issue was at the forefront of many of those seeking election to the local council. Helen can take great credit from this and whilst the result of the election was a disappointment to us all this in no way detracts from the excellent work done by Helen.

I am looking forward to an exciting future as the campaign attracted a good number of new activists along with the faithful few and therefore I feel we now have a platform on which we can build for the future.

My aim for the foreseeable future is to build on this goodwill, unite the party and attempt to put in place a structure which will be relevant to the Highlands and Islands region in general, and Orkney in particular.

Ronnie Johnson
Chairman

Contact details: Tel: 01856 870616
e-mail: rdsdj@yahoo.com

50% Council Tax Discount for all Pensioner Households in Orkney

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:37:00 +0000

Helen Gardiner, Scottish Conservative candidate for Orkney, has spoken out about the proposed 3% rise in Council tax, especially the impact it will inevitably have on hard pressed pensioner households.

Orcadians learned of the likely 3% rise in Council tax when members of the OIC agreed the figure on 29th January during a special meeting of the Council's Policy and Resources Committee.

Helen Gardiner said "The Council Tax is already like a second mortgage and this 3% rise makes it all the harder to accept. However I am particularly concerned about the way it will impact on pensioner households. This is why the Scottish Conservatives pledge to introduce a statutory council tax discount for ALL pensioner households aged 65 or over in Scotland."

Helen explained, “This will be a key pledge in the Conservative manifesto for this year’s Scottish Parliament Elections because we believe that people who have worked hard all their lives and saved for retirement should live in dignity and security in old age.”

“The discount will be centrally funded and will be additional to any discounts that the pensioner is currently entitled to, such as the 25% single household discount and any council tax benefit.”

Helen explained “The discount will apply to people aged 65 or over, who live alone, or who live with other adults aged 65 or over. No one will be made worse off. No group will be charged higher council taxes to finance the discount.”

She added "The discount will not be means tested and will include halving the bills of those on council tax benefit. A typical pensioner in Orkney in a band D property will see a saving of £378 a year, and a typical couple a saving of £504 a year."

Underfunding Shame of the Lib/Lab Pact at Holyrood - Orkney Starts to Feel the Bite

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:32:00 +0000

Orkney Tory Scottish Parliamentary Candidate Helen Gardiner is calling for the Lib/Lab Scottish Executive to account over the shame of underfunding of Orkney Islands Council.

Helen is urging people in Orkney to "make a clear link between the issue of underfunding and the current crisis in the provision of care for the elderly," saying that "it time to demand that underfunding be brought to an end."

Helen said "We all know that Orkney has been under funded to the tune of £600 per person in comparison with comparable council areas like Shetland and the Western Isles. That has been the case for 10 years now but it's continuously glossed over.

It's blatantly unfair - no ifs and no buts. Lib Dem representation of Orkney in Edinburgh has failed to reverse it which is shameful as it should be the priority. Any MSP worth his salt should push the issue of underfunding of Orkney to top of the agenda, not just an excuse to have another working lunch in Edinburgh or write another letter."

Helen added "We hear time and time again that care for the elderly is not working with many elderly people being fleeced of their capital when they go into care."

"We especially know about the plight of some elderly people placed in care homes in Caithness because there isn't the service available on the island. We also know about respite care costs being reformulated with many now facing big bills. 3,500 people signed a petition protesting about this and asking the Council to spend its reserve money to sort it out."

"Of course, the Council says it cannot spend its reserve money on providing statutory services, that those services should instead be funded by money it gets from the Scottish Executive Capital Programme and that there just isn't enough in that SE allocated pot. We all know the reserve fund is not for statutory services, rather for Orcadian development."

"While I fully appreciate this distinction, I think it's time that Orkney took a bold step in sorting this out. Elderly folk need help now, not 3-4 years down the line. The agreement that brought about underfunding 10 years ago must be revisited as it is clearly unfair.

"I propose to take the issue of underfunding a priority issue because Orkney's elderly are feeling the effects now. It's 10 years since the formula was agreed and times have changed. Orkney needs strong political support to enable the Council to release its oil reserve fund to deal with the care home issue now on the basis that this is an exceptional case. However the trick is to do this solely on the basis of informing the Scottish Executive in very clear terms that it has 2-3 years to revisit the funding formula viz a viz Orkney."

Duke of Orkney to return to Scotland?

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:37:00 +0000

Conservative MSPs have backed calls for the body of the only Duke of Orkney to be returned to Scotland.

The remains of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell and third husband of Mary Queen of Scots, currently languish in a crypt in Farevejle Church in Denmark. Bothwell was accused of treason in 1567 and fled to Orkney where he hoped to raise support to put Mary back on the throne.

Failing to find sufficient backing, he went to Norway and then to Denmark, where he was imprisoned in appalling conditions for some ten years before he eventually died, insane.

Now Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Ted Brocklebank, along with Conservative Culture Spokesman Jamie McGrigor, have backed a campaign by one of Bothwell’s descendants, Sir Alistair Buchan Hepburn, for the Earl’s body to be returned to Scotland. They said it’s time Bothwell was allowed to come home.

Ted said “For many years, Bothwell’s mummified body was kept in a glass coffin as a ghastly tourist attraction by the Danish church authorities. Only in 1975, was it moved to a crypt in the church.

“I have been in correspondence with the Scottish Culture Minister Patricia Fergusson about the possibility of the Danish authorities returning Bothwell’s remains to Scotland, where there is no doubt he wished to be buried. A number of Bothwell’s descendants, including Sir Alistair Buchan Hepburn, a constituent of mine, have been in touch with the minister and elders at Farevejle Church seeking to have the remains repatriated.

“In September of this year, Queen Margrethe II respected the last wish of Maria Fjodorowna, a Danish national and widow of Tsar Alexander III, to be removed from her grave in Denmark and re-buried in Russia. How much more appropriate that the remains of the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, himself a Scot, should be returned to his homeland.

“And perhaps an appropriate last resting place for the Earl would be the Collegiate Church of Crichton in Midlothian, close by Crichton Castle which played such an important role in the story of James Hepburn and his ill-fated Queen”.

Mr Brocklebank said he hoped Bothwell’s reputation had not contributed to the inertia of officials in trying to retrieve his remains, arguing that revisionist historians like John Guy and Gore Brown had carried out extensive researches which portray Bothwell in a far more sympathetic light than in he past.

His calls were backed by Highlands and Islands MSP and Scottish Conservative Culture Spokesman Jamie McGrigor who said it was time for Bothwell to come home.

“There is no reason why James Hepburn’s wish to return home, even although expressed 438 years ago, should not be treated with equal respect to the wishes of Czarina Maria, whose body has now been reinterred in St. Petersburg. Maria was consort to the Tsar of Russia and Bothwell was consort to the Queen of Scotland. Both were buried in Denmark, a place they didn’t want to be.

“It’s now time for James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell and Duke of Orkney, to be allowed to come home to Scotland”.

Helen to fight for Holyrood

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:45:00 +0000

Helen Gardiner (37) will contest next May's Holyrood elections after being chosen as the Conservative candidate for Orkney at a packed meeting in Kirkwall.

Brought up in the Highlands, Helen read law at Edinburgh University, followed by a postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice at Glasgow University. A Scottish qualified lawyer, she ran her own law practice in Shetland throughout most of her twenties and early thirties. Since then she has been an international lawyer, seconded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to various countries aiming to join the EU.

Commenting on her selection, Helen said: “I am new to politics in the sense that I’ve never run for a seat before. However I’m not new to the issues. It’s the issues that brought me back to the Conservative Party at this time. I am very excited about the way David Cameron is steering the Conservative party back to a position of power. I want to play a part in that.”

Helen has a strong background in health related matters, having been one of the youngest ever appointed non executive directors of her local NHS board, then in Shetland. She was also instrumental in bringing about new drugs misuse services, was a Safeguarder to the Children‘s Panel and a Curator ad Litem in Sheriff Court matters relating to children. She is a keen follower of issues relating to island life including farming, fishing, tourism and transport.

Helen added: “I look forward to speaking to people in Orkney between now and May and hearing about what’s important for them. I want to persuade people to look again at what the Conservative Party has to offer. We’ve been on the side lines too long and it‘s time we reconnected with people. I want to be given an opportunity to put across our policies - devolving power from central government to local communities, providing better health care, education and housing, encouraging economic growth, and I am looking forward to the campaign.

McGrigor attacks Orkney reconviction figures

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:14:00 +0000

MSP Jamie McGrigor has described as appalling new figures which show that nearly a quarter of those convicted of crime in Orkney are reconvicted of new offences within 2 years.

The Conservative MSP said it was clear evidence that convicted criminals were not being rehabilitated successfully.

Jamie McGrigor said “These figures are appalling. Labour and their Liberal Democrat colleagues should hang their heads in shame.

“24% of people convicted in Orkney are being reconvicted within two years, with one in ten reconvicted within only 6 months. But what is most concerning is that these figures are from 2002/3 so who can tell how bad the situation is now.

“Nothing could demonstrate more clearly that convicted criminals are not being rehabilitated successfully or helped off the conveyor belt of crime. The Scottish Executive has a responsibility to protect the honest law-abiding citizen from those who wish to commit crime but it is a responsibility which Labour and Liberal Democrat ministers are failing to meet.

“We now have fewer police on the beat, far easier access to bail, ineffective community sentences and, as these figures show, a cancer of repeat offenders causing mayhem and misery”.

Mr McGrigor said the Scottish Conservative “Three Strikes” policy, whereby anyone given a third custodial sentence for any crime will receive an extra tariff automatically, was the first step in the fight against the problem in Orkney.

“This policy will help prisons to fulfil their objectives; protecting the public, deterring criminals, punishing them for their crimes and rehabilitation.

“It will send a clear message to criminals in Orkney that we will not tolerate repeated, serious offending such as mugging, robbing, rape, assault and burglary”.

Labour’s new bed & breakfast stealth tax will hike cost of Scottish trips

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 10:26:00 +0000

With the summer holiday season in full swing, Scottish Conservatives today launched a campaign to stop Labour’s latest money-making ruse - a new stealth tax on Scottish holidays.

Gordon Brown and John Prescott (prior to losing his job) asked former Labour councillor, Sir Michael Lyons, to produce plans for new local taxes; in December’s interim report, he raised the prospect of a new local levy on England’s hotels, hostels and bed & breakfasts; in Scotland a similar exercise is underway and Unison, amongst others, has called for just such a tourism tax.

This would be on top of existing business rates and VAT on hotel bills. Based on similar taxes in other countries, this could potentially add £100 a week to the cost of a family holiday or visit to tourist destinations. Less well-off families would be the hardest hit.

Jamie McGrigor, Scottish Conservative tourism spokesman, commented: “The brilliant summer weather has shown what a great place Scotland is to spend a short break or a holiday.

"But the great seaside or highland holiday is under threat from a ‘bed & breakfast stealth tax’ – Labour’s latest money-making ploy. There’s nothing wrong with choosing to travel abroad, but no-one will benefit from making Scottish holidays a rip-off.”

McGrigor backs calls for action on Supermarket Code of Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:31:00 +0000

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has backed calls to strengthen the Supermarket Code of Practice.

Commenting after the Scottish Parliament’s Environment and Rural Development Committee published its report into the Food Supply Chain, the Conservative MSP said it was time to give the Code real teeth.

Jamie McGrigor said “During the course of this inquiry the Committee heard of the difficulties many sectors face, particularly in those of dairy, red meat and vegetable production, due to a distorted distribution of power in the food supply chain.

“These sectors are left struggling to meet their costs and, as a result, in the dairy sector alone 700 family farms (a quarter of Scotland’s total) have gone out of production in the last five years, including many in the Highlands and Islands.

“So what has been done to arrest the decline? What actions has the Scottish Executive undertaken to give hope to yet another struggling Scottish industry? Nothing. The Liberal Democrat Minister has so far just sat back and allowed this erosion of the rural economy to continue.

“Now the Environment and Rural Development Committee has set out a clear number of areas in which the Executive must act. Firstly, there needs to be increased emphasis and development of local food economies with increased marketing of the Scottish brand. Next the Executive needs to ease the high level of regulation currently imposed on Scottish farmers to ensure that they are not at an economic disadvantage.

“In addition, the Executive must use its power to influence supermarkets’ contract practices to introduce greater transparency. Currently the relationship is so confused that farmers and producers were reluctant to even comment on the record to the Committee for fear of losing business.

“Finally, the time has come to strengthen the existing Supermarket Code of Practice to give it real teeth, to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of resources throughout the chain providing a fair level of profit for everyone including, most importantly, the primary producer.”

“If we truly value Scotland’s produce, and want the Highlands and Islands to continue to produce some of the finest foods that can be found anywhere in the World, then the Executive must act now. They must implement the Committee’s recommendations before it’s too late”.

McGrigor: “VisitScotland must do more for smaller Highlands and Islands tourism operators”

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:57:00 +0000

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has said VisitScotland must do more for smaller tourism operators in the Highlands and Islands.

Following a meeting today with VisitScotland.com Chief Executive Marco Truffelli, the Conservative Tourism Spokesman said if the tourism body was to be of value it must make a substantial difference to the small establishments such as B&Bs which Mr McGrigor described as the backbone of the industry

Mr McGrigor is currently surveying tourism operators across the Highlands and Islands on the performance of VisitScotland and said responses so far were largely critical of the body.

Jamie McGrigor said “This was a very useful meeting for me and I am arranging a visit to Visitscotland’s call centre in Livingston to see for myself how they handle enquiries.
”Certainly the responses I have received so far from my survey suggest that enquiries are not being handled properly, and that the restructuring of Scotland’s tourism industry continues to cause concern and even anger.

“For example, if Visitscotland.com is to be of value, it must make a substantial difference to the small establishments that are the backbone of the industry. The views I have so far received from my survey suggest that this is simply not the case.

“Only 15 per cent of inquiries to Visitscotland.com last year actually generated bookings. That cannot represent good value for money and VisitScotland must do more to help the smaller tourism operators across the Highlands and Islands”.

McGrigor: “Urgent upgrading needed on Highland road links”

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:56:00 +0000

Responding to news that an internet survey of motorists conducted by the Rural Community Gateway voted major Highland routes the most unpopular roads in Scotland, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor said:

“This survey only confirms what those of us who regularly use the A9 and A96 already know – these roads are in serious need of upgrading.

“The A96 which, for the second year running, was voted the most unpopular road in Scotland, should be helping drive the local economy of Moray yet its capacity simply cannot cope with the demand.

“The A9, the highway of the Highlands and a critical link through Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness to Orkney, is Scotland’s deadliest road, with an average of 16 lives lost every year. There is real need for major improvements both north and south of Inverness.

“Both the A9 and the A96 need upgrading and they need it as a matter of priority. It’s time for Labour and the LibDems to stop talking about transport infrastructure and start acting

MSP demands a better deal for Northern Constabulary police

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 10 May 2006 14:50:00 +0000

Commenting after today’s reports that nearly two-thirds of Scotland's police stations no longer provide a round-the-clock manned service and that only 14 out of the 74 police stations in the Northern Constabulary area are manned 24hours, Conservative Highlands and Island MSP Jamie McGrigor said:

“I appreciate that many of the remotest stations will not have a permanent police presence, however I would be interested to know what hours they are manned and what effect that has on local crime and anti-social behaviour levels.

“Communities across the Highlands and Islands want the reassurance of a local police presence in their area, especially when they’ve experienced crime amongst Highlands and Islands’ 14-16year olds rise 24%1, and total crime up in the Constabulary’s area rise 8%2.

“The Northern Constabulary area already has the lowest number of police officers employed per 1,000 of population, with only 2.52 officers for every 1,000 people. With such a large and dispersed area, and with so many remote communities to cover, it is imperative that the Scottish provides the Northern Constabulary with the support its excellent officers need to do their difficult job.

“Crime and anti-social behaviour blights so many communities across the Highlands and Islands. It’s time for the pretendy tough talk from the Liberal Democrat/Labour Executive in Edinburgh to stop, and the proper funding of our local police to start”.

MSP welcomes Scottish Beef back onto Europe’s tables

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 03 May 2006 10:57:00 +0000

Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor has described today’s lifting of the beef ban as a massive boost for local farmers

The Highlands and Islands MSP said he hoped the move would help the industry re-establish its world class status and exports worth £130 million per year before the ban.

Jamie McGrigor said “The lifting of the beef ban represents a step forward for the Scottish Beef industry and is a most welcome decision for beef farmers across the Highlands and Islands.

“The Scottish beef industry has faced many pressures in the past, and I hope the lifting of the ban will help the industry to re-establish its important world class status once more and regain the £130 million market”

“Government figures for the estimated income for Scottish farms during 2005 reported a reduction from £19,800 to just £13,100 average income for farmers.

“I hope that the lifting of the beef ban will see farm incomes increase again and see the future of the industry across the Highlands and Islands secured”.

McGrigor wants Calcutta Cup-winning captain from Highlands and Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 12:15:00 +0000

Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor said he hoped the Highlands and Islands might provide a future Calcutta Cup-winning captain.

Mr McGrigor joined Scots rugby coach Frank Hadden and some of his players at Parliament as the 128 year old trophy began its promotional tour of Scotland. There are currently 9,000 rugby players in Scotland, compared with 250,000 in England, and the SRU wants the tour to encourage more young people to take up the game.

Mr McGrigor said he hoped rugby clubs across the Highlands and Islands would get a chance to host one of world sport’s most prestigious trophies.

Jamie McGrigor said “Even when I was playing rugby at school, although not particularly well, the Calcutta Cup had an almost mythical status.

“It was a fantastic achievement for a resurgent Scotland to beat England at Murrayfield in the 6 Nations and I’m looking forward to Scotland retaining the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham next year.

“Taking the Calcutta Cup around Scotland is a fantastic idea and I hope rugby clubs and schools across the Highlands and Islands will try and get the trophy to visit them.

“Perhaps we might even see the Highlands and Islands producing Scottish Calcutta Cup-winning captains of the future”.

From August onwards, the Calcutta Cup will be “given” to the eight managers in the new SRU Rugby Development Structure in the Regions, where they will be responsible for the successful event planning for the Calcutta Cup in each of the 14 regions, to increase the growth of the game in clubs and schools throughout their region. These clubs and schools will be able to pitch for the Cup to visit events within their area.

Tories select Orcadian to fight Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:49:00 +0000

Scottish Conservatives in Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber have chosen Orcadian Jamie Halcro Johnston to be their candidate for next May’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.

Jamie was Conservative candidate for Moray at last year’s General Election and regained 2nd place for the Party. He currently works as a Press Officer to Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor at Holyrood.

Commenting on his selection, Jamie said “I am delighted to have been selected to fight for Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber.

”I’ll be promoting positive solutions to the problems that face Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, working closely with local organisations to raise issues and holding this Labour and Liberal Democrat Executive to account for their awful record on the Highlands and Islands”.

Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader and Invernessian Murdo Fraser MSP added “Jamie is one of the many outstanding candidates we will have fighting for seats at next May’s election.

“Coming from the region, he has huge personal experience of the problems in the Highlands and Islands, as well as a real determination to address them.

“I’m looking forward to joining Jamie for a few days campaigning when I’m next in Inverness”.

Local Tories choose new chairman

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 16:07:00 +0000

Local Conservatives have chosen a woman to be their new chairman for the first time.

Tracy Thomson, who lives at Greenigoe in Orphir, was chosen by members on Tuesday. She was previously the Election Agent for the Party at last year's General Election.

Speaking after her election, Tracy said: “I am delighted, and deeply honoured, to have been chosen to serve as chairman.

"I will be working hard to continue the growth of the Conservative Association in Orkney and ensure we build on the success the Party is enjoying across the UK at the moment.”

Orkney Conservative president, Morgan Harcus, added: “We are all delighted that Tracy has been elected as chairman. Her election is a fitting reward for all the hard work she has put in previously as Election Agent.”

McGrigor calls for Executive rethink on tail docking

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 14:12:00 +0000

The Scottish Executive must rethink its planned ban on tail docking, according to Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor.
Following a meeting at Parliament with Scottish Gamekeepers Association Chairman Alex Hogg on Wednesday, the Conservative MSP, who has previously bred spaniels, has written to Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie urging an exemption for working dogs.

Jamie McGrigor said “Many constituents across the Highlands and Islands have contacted me with their concerns over the possible banning of tail shortening for specialist breeds of working dogs such as spaniels, terriers and pointers.

“The Executive’s plans are causing particular concern amongst land and wildlife management professionals and, as someone who’s bred Springer Spaniels myself, I know there is a real risk of increased suffering for dogs if this ban goes ahead.

“It comes despite an exemption for working dogs in England and Wales and despite the Scottish Executive originally planning such an exemption for Scotland. Unfortunately, as is so often the case with this Executive, they have now changed their minds and u-turned on the issue, and we risk having the ridiculous situation where the law differs across the UK.

“This ban won’t just affect privately owned dogs and I would be interested to know what representations the Executive have had from police and rescue services about the welfare of the spaniels they use in often dangerous and confined situations.

“Working professionals are devoted to their dogs and would never do anything to deliberately cause them pain. By tail shortening in infancy, they are only trying to protect the welfare of their dogs in adulthood. This Animal Welfare Bill should help them to do this rather than the reverse”.

McGrigor calls for better support for established Highlands and Islands tourism projects

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 12:12:00 +0000

MSP Jamie McGrigor has called for better support for existing tourism groups in the Highlands and Islands.

The Scottish Conservative Tourism and Sports Spokesman raised concerns at Ministers’ Question Time that new initiatives were being funded at the expense of older, more established projects.

Jamie McGrigor said “There are many well-established and highly successful tourism initiatives across the Highlands and Islands.

“However, concerns have been raised with me by people within the Highlands and Islands tourism industry that funding is being concentrated on new tourism initiatives at the expense of other long-established tried and trusted successful projects.

“One such established scheme is Golf Highland which represents many smaller courses in the region. Despite golf playing an increasingly important part in the success of local tourism, Golf Highland is apparently unable to apply for funding and is forced to rely on their membership subscriptions.

“I hope the Minister look at this situation and ensure that Golf Highland, and other well-established groups like it, are not penalised for their success”.

Education Minister Peter Peacock, who was standing in for the unavailable Tourism Minister Patricia Fergusson, said he would raise the issue with Ms Fergusson.

Heating schemes extension welcome but better delivery needed, say McGrigor

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:26:00 +0000

Responding to today’s announcement by Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm that the Central Heating Programme and Warm Deal scheme will be extended for another two years, Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor, who last year exposed problems with the delivery of the schemes, said:

“I welcome news that the schemes will be extended but the problems I highlighted last year were problems of delivery.

”The Executive must ensure that applications are dealt with quickly and efficiently, that work is carried out on time with the minimum of inconvenience to householders and that local companies are allowed to play a greater role in installation work.

”I know EAGA has worked hard to deal with the cases I raised but we cannot afford another situation like last year where older people, many of whom were vulnerable, faced a winter without adequate heating because of delays in the delivery of the scheme”.

McGrigor: “Executive can’t afford repeat of Northlink tendering fiasco”

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 18:16:00 +0000

Commenting after state-owned Caledonian MacBrayne were confirmed as the Scottish Executive’s preferred bidder for the Northern Isles ferry contract, Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor said:

“The Scottish Executive’s handling of the tendering for ferry services to the Northern Isles has been poor from the start.

“I just hope the Executive have learnt from the mistakes of the past and have ensured CalMac are fully aware of all the obligations of maintaining these lifeline services for Orkney and Shetland.

“We cannot afford a repeat of the fiasco the last tender process resulted in as the Scottish taxpayer will not be prepared to pick up the bill again for more Executive mistakes”.

MSP hopes new website will encourage people to “Get in Touch”

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 16:06:00 +0000

MSP Jamie McGrigor hopes his new website will mean more constituents will get in touch.

Launching http://www.jamiemcgrigormsp.com/, the Conservative MSP said the site would make it easier for him to update people across the Highlands and Islands with his latest news, as well as making it easier for them to raise issues with him.

Jamie McGrigor said “It’s so important that people feel they can contact their local representatives and I hope this new site encourages my constituents to get in touch.

“The new site is designed to make access to information as simple as possible. As well as holding all my latest news, it also has an online diary in which meetings and events I am attending will be published, making it easier for people to see the work I’m doing their area.

“Constituents can also register for Email Updates and this allows me to keep them up to date with the very latest news of what I’m doing and what’s going on at Parliament in general. I’m also hoping to include an online surgery facility soon.

“I hope people will visit the site and contact me with any suggestions as to content and other services, and that this will help me better serve my constituents across the Highlands and Islands”.

Visit the website – http://www.jamiemcgrigormsp.com/

McGrigor on Orkney Council cost cutting exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:29:00 +0000

Responding to Wednesday’s statement by Orkney Islands Council Chief Executive Alistair Buchan that cost cutting is to be introduced, Highlands & Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor said:

"In a letter to me recently, the Finance Minister described Orkney’s under-funding crisis as "perceived” and that Orkney was only in a "seemingly” poor position – I doubt if he would dare say the same today after this latest news.
”The Council has said that it will try and protect vulnerable service users “as far as possible” and I’m sure that will be of some concern to those that rely on Orkney Islands Council to provide them with social services.

"Surely now the Lib/Lab Executive must realise the seriousness of the situation in Orkney – a situation their under funding of the islands has caused”.

Orkney mustn’t lose well-proven Islander emergency cover, says McGrigor

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:52:00 +0000

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has said the Scottish Executive mustn’t allow Orkney to lose the security of the Islander aircraft’s emergency cover.

Speaking in a debate in Parliament, the Conservative MSP backed Orkney Convenor Stephen Hagan’s concerns that many people in the isles would feel vulnerable when the current air ambulance provision ends on 31 March, and called for the Loganair-operated aircraft to be retained.

Jamie McGrigor said “This debate was a welcome opportunity to discuss one of the key issues raised with me when I visited Orkney last summer and an issue I raised with the Minister for Health in September.

“In his reply to me, Minister Andy Kerr admitted that there had been some ‘teething troubles’ with the service. I wonder whether the ‘troubles’ he was referring to include the case in which the air ambulance was requested to transfer a patient to hospital with a severed artery - apparently with blood pumping from the wound - but, because the helicopter was on another mission, it was 108 minutes after the original request before the helicopter arrived.

“While I appreciate this might be more exception than rule, it does little to instil confidence in the much-vaunted new level of cover.”

Mr McGrigor then concentrated on response times, calling on the Executive to provide a comparison of the average time for an Islander-based response and the average time for an EC135-based response, from the alert time to the patient's arrival at the destination hospital. He also backed Orkney Islands Council convener Stephen Hagan’s concerns that many people in the isles would feel vulnerable when the new contract starts and that this could have an impact on Council efforts against depopulation.

“Unless action is taken by 31 March, the security that the well-trusted Islander gives Orkney will end. Orkney Islands Council is concerned; politicians from all parties, including the Executive parties, are concerned; doctors are concerned; and, most important, local people in Orkney are concerned.

“The Executive must reconsider its position and allow the retention of the excellent Islander aircraft to ensure that Orkney continues to be covered by its well-proven service”.

McGrigor repeats calls for Islanders to be retained

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 10:21:00 +0000

Ahead of Thursday night’s debate in Parliament on air ambulance cover for Orkney, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor, who will speak in the debate, has called for the Executive to retain the Loganair-operated Islander aircraft as emergency cover.

Jamie McGrigor said “I welcome Thursday’s debate as the provision of air ambulance cover to the islands was one of the key issues raised during a meeting I held with Orkney Islands Council convenor Stephen Hagan last summer.

“It was an issue I raised with the Health Minister then as there is real feeling that local concerns are not being listened to by the Executive. Communities like Orkney need to be able to have confidence in their emergency health provision and the air ambulance is a crucial part of that.

“Retaining the Islanders on an emergency only basis was estimated to cost around £100,000, a relatively small amount when considered the new contract to run air ambulance cover is costing £70m over 5-7 years.

“The Executive should reconsider its position and retain the Islanders for emergency cover”.

McGrigor welcomes reduced air fares proposal but seeks answers on eligibility

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:11:00 +0000

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has welcomed Scottish Executive proposals to bring down air fares to some of Scotland’s remoter communities.

However, the Conservative MSP has warned that the scheme must be properly funded and is seeking answers from Transport Minister Tavish Scott over how the Executive plans to ensure that only those eligible for discounts to flights will receive them.

Mr McGrigor has also sought confirmation that students from eligible areas will get the discount, arguing that there was already an increasing burden on those in further education.

Jamie McGrigor said “I largely welcome the Executive’s announcement of the proposals to subsidise air fares in the Highlands and Islands.
”People in Scotland’s remoter areas have looked on with a mixture of envy and frustration as air fares from Scotland’s major airports to both national and international destinations dropped, while prices on routes within Scotland, and particularly within the Highlands and Islands, have increased.

“However, I want to know how the Executive plan to ensure that only those with a main residence in one of these eligible areas will benefit from the reductions and how much the Executive expect these checks to cost annually. It is important to know whether responsibility for ensuring eligibility will fall on those selling the tickets or on the Executive.

“Also, with the ever-increasing burden on those in further education and student debts mounting, I have asked the Minister to confirm whether students from the eligible areas will benefit from the reductions or if they’ll be forced to pay full fares.

“With the scheme hoped to increase air travel in the Highlands and Islands, the Executive must ensure that the funds they have allocated to deliver the scheme are sufficient and that this does not become just another part-delivered Executive initiative”.

McGrigor anger as Labour play council tax blame game

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie Halcro Johnston) — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 16:20:00 +0000

Responding to today’s news that average band D council tax bills are likely to rise significantly across the Highlands and Islands, MSP Jamie McGrigor said:

“The Labour/Liberal Scottish Executive blames the councils and the councils blame the Executive.

“While Labour and the Liberal Democrats play the blame game, local people are seeing more and more of their income go on paying the ever increasing council tax bill. Yet are we seeing improvements to levels of service?

“So far, all the increases announced are well above the 2.5% level the First Minister claims would be a reasonable increase. If Jack McConnell really wants to see increases kept low then he needs to cut back on his Executive’s ring fencing of local government funding and allow local councils to determine the funding priorities in their areas.

“Until he does this, council tax levels will increase while services are lost and quality standards decrease. This is the legacy of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive - higher council tax bills and less service”.