ISLANDS MSP DEMANDS DETAIL ON GROWTH DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP Alasdair Allan has called for the UK Government to clarify urgently how much funding will be available to the three island councils as part of the Islands Deal.

This follows yesterday’s announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to Scotland where £300 million would be put towards Growth Deals.

Alasdair Allan MSP commented:

“There was a frightening lack of detail available in yesterday’s statement by the Prime Minister, a failing which I suspect will be characteristic of his premiership.

“It is also concerning that Conservative party press releases are being issued before the local authorities themselves have received any details of yesterday’s announcement or what money is actually coming their way.

“The statement issued yesterday implies that the £300 million announced will be split across the three City Region Deals in Scotland - the three island authorities, Falkirk and Argyll & Bute - and the four City Region Deals proposed for Northern Ireland. When you consider that the Inverness-Highland Deal alone totalled around £300 million it is obvious that this is not nearly enough for seven meaningful deals.

“The three Island Councils have been working together for some time to take forward a Deal for the Islands. A contribution of the scale implied by yesterday’s statement would severely curtail their ambitions.

“Having dragged its feet on the Islands Deal for far too long, the UK Government must urgently disclose the full details of yesterday’s announcement to the island councils and commit to giving the islands their fair share.”