SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar has responded to comments made yesterday by UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves during her brief visit to Scotland, where she claimed that “the SNP Government is as guilty as the Conservative government” for the budget cuts which the UK has imposed on Scotland.

This follows a recent statement by the Prime Minister where he said “things will get worse before they get better” and warned of “difficult” decisions to be taken in the Autumn budget.

In response, Alasdair Allan commented:

“For the Chancellor to attempt to rid herself and her government of any responsibility whatsoever for the austerity measures they are choosing to inflict on the entire UK – including Scotland - is utterly disingenuous.

“As she well knows, the Scottish Government does not have the borrowing powers of an independent country – we are only able to raise additional revenue via certain very limited tax powers, and have no say in how much of the money Scotland contributes into the UK Treasury each year gets returned to us to spend here.

“Forward planning, as a Scottish Government, is extremely challenging when you do not know how much money will be available from year to year. Often, even the money that is expected (such as the funding for the Winter Fuel Payment) is suddenly cut to the bone, and Scotland’s budget is down by hundreds of millions of pounds overnight.

“Households across the Western Isles will be far worse off this winter, directly as a result of the new UK Government’s decisions. Yes, the Tories mismanaged the economy, but throughout the general election campaign, the SNP warned of the austerity measures Labour would be implementing, which they repeatedly denied. Politics is about priorities, and the UK Labour Government are now demonstrating how quickly they will break election promises made in Scotland.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has condemned Friday’s announcement from Ofgem that it will be raising its energy price cap by 10% from October.

Ofgem is a UK non-ministerial government department, and is responsible for regulating the energy market, including by setting the maximum unit price companies can charge for energy and gas unit prices every three months. While the price cap was lowered in April and July, the increase announced today will mean an average household’s bills will increase by £149 a year as winter approaches and usage increases. The price cap is also expected to rise by a further 3% in January.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“In their election campaign, Labour vowed to lower energy bills, and yet just a couple of months on we can see what a hollow promise this was.

“To allow a 10% rise when household budgets across the country are stretched to their maximum, all while cutting funding for fuel poverty support, is absolutely unacceptable. This move prioritises the growing profits of energy giants over Ofgem’s actual role of protecting consumers.

“Energy unfortunately remains a  matter reserved to the UK government, and I am calling, once again, on the UK Government to act swiftly to overhaul the outdated and hugely unfair UK energy system. Those in rural and island areas of Scotland are paying far higher prices for our energy, despite much of it being created in or near our own communities.”

Scottish Government cost-of-living support can be accessed via https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has commended the Linda Norgrove Foundation after the Lewis-based charity’s efforts to bring a group of female Afghan medical students to Scotland have been successful.

The Linda Norgrove Foundation was established in 2010 by John and Lorna Norgrove after their daughter Linda, an aid worker, was tragically killed in a rescue operation while being held hostage by the Taliban.

Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021, the charity has been working with the Scottish and UK Governments to try and bring a small number of women to Scotland to complete their medical studies, after authorities banned women from attending university (as well as girls from attending secondary schools).

The group of 19 students arrived in Edinburgh earlier this week.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Linda Norgrove Foundation for working tirelessly to support women and girls in Afghanistan, and for their unwavering commitment to bringing this group of medical students to Scotland to complete their studies, despite the countless challenges encountered in doing so.

“I would also like to warmly welcome these courageous young women to Scotland, and wish them the very best as they settle in to their new home and complete their studies at our country’s medical schools. Thanks are also due to the Education Secretary for her support on this matter and her work to amend the necessary legislation to allow the students to have their tuition fees covered by the Scottish Government.”

The foundation’s John Norgrove said:

“We’re all delighted to have finally succeeded after so much frustration. Finally these 19 incredibly talented young women get their future back with the opportunity of a tremendous education and a career. The alternative for them in Afghanistan wasn’t good.”

One of the students, Omulbanin Sultani, said:

“We endured one thousand days of suffering to reach this point. One thousand days of being confined to our homes, of having our voices silenced with nothing but tears and sorrow, our lives wasting away. But throughout these harsh and unbearable days, the only motivation of light in our dark world was the presence of the Linda Norgrove Foundation, who stood beside us and never let us feel alone.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed this week’s confirmation from CMAL that work has now begun on Phase 2 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP).

The majority of CalMac’s existing small vessels are due to be replaced as part of Phase 1, which is currently out for procurement, and will consist of one standard design for all seven vessels. Due to the particular complexities of the marine environments for Western Isles small vessel routes, in particular the Sound of Harris, it is expected that an alternative design, or multiple designs, will be required for the three further vessels being replaced as part of SVRP Phase 2. These vessels will replace the existing vessels on the Sound of Bara and Sound of Harris by 2031.

CMAL have said they intend to carry out public engagement events in the near future ahead of design work commencing.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“It is welcome news indeed that work has now begun on the next phase of SVRP 2, which will ensure the long-term reliability and sustainability of the ferry routes connecting our islands together.

“The voice of local communities must be fully taken into account throughout the design process, both of the new vessels themselves and their timetables, to maximise capacity and resilience across these essential ferry routes.

“It has been a very difficult period for the wider CalMac network, but as the new major and small vessels begin to come into service in the months and years to come, the network as a whole will be greatly strengthened and able to deliver the level of service islanders need and deserve. I recognise that this is just the beginning of the process for replacing these vessels in the Western Isles, but it is an important sign of commitment to further renewing the CalMac fleet.”