The announcement that funding for Phase 1 of Orkney’s ferry replacement programme is set to come to the islands through Tuesday’s Budget has been welcomed by SNP candidate Robert Leslie.
He also welcomed enhanced and protected funding to help with the cost of living, and especially extra funding to tackle child poverty announced by Finance Secretary Shona Robison.
Robert Leslie said that real progress on securing new ferries for the islands was now on the horizon after successful negotiations between the SNP Scottish Government and Orkney Islands Council.
He said:
“It is great to hear OIC Leader Councillor Heather Woodbridge say this ‘really is fantastic news’ for Orkney’s plans for a new internal ferry fleet.
“It certainly feels like Orkney Islands Council has built a strong relationship with the Scottish Government throughout these negotiations, and it speaks volumes that Councillor Woodbridge has paid tribute to the work of Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie, as well as Scottish Government officers, recognising their commitment to the process.
“I look forward to following the procurement process for these ferries, which Councillor Woodbridge recognises is being enabled by ‘the sure footing’ of today’s announcement from the SNP Scottish Government.
“I can only echo her comment that this is ‘a momentous day for Orkney’.
“Of course Scottish Government support for replacement ferries has been longstanding, and last year’s budget injected a record amount of cash into Orkney’s ferry service.
“That record deal was described by Councillor Woodbridge at the time as ‘the most progress we’ve ever made on our ferries agenda’, reflecting the success of the Ferries Taskforce meetings.
“It is very positive to see the OIC recognise the commitment from the Scottish Government and how it has been able to feed into the process to make it work. That is the kind of relationship the SNP will always strive for with Orkney and other island authorities, recognising their unique challenges.
“It is also great to have the peak fares on the NorthLink routes scrapped after lots of hard work and a strong resolution from our SNP candidate in Shetland, Hannah Mary Goodlad, which I was happy to speak in favour of at the SNP conference in Aberdeen in October.
“Of course, the SNP in government will continue to do the best it can for Orkney. However, only with the full powers of an independent nation can we realise our full potential, and I believe Orkney will thrive given that opportunity.
“Too many of us are still suffering because standards of living in the UK have remained stagnant in the last decade under Westminster’s failed economics, austerity and the disaster that continues to be Brexit.
“That is why I welcome what is the best cost-of-living support in the UK protected and expanded in this budget. There will be a breakfast club for every primary school – helping families with costs and wraparound care, and ensuring bairns are ready to learn. At the same time more folk will be paying less income tax because they live in Scotland.
“I can’t help but recall that at the same time as Councillor Woodbridge was hailing last October’s ferry procurement deal, she was also presenting the Orkney Community Planning Partnership’s annual report, with a sobering picture of child poverty rates showing modest improvements but worsening fuel poverty figures, with many families struggling to feed their children and heat their homes.”
The Orkney report highlighted the need to more preventative and systemic change, including Community Wealth Building and a Good Food Plan, which Mr Leslie said really chimed with what the Scottish Government is focused on.
“For that reason, the budget measures to reduce child poverty will be as welcome in Orkney as anywhere across Scotland,” he said.
This includes:
- funding to increase Scottish Child Payment to £28.20 per week and investment to allow the introduction of a premium payment of £40 per week for eligible children under 12 months from 2027-28, bolstering efforts to drive down child poverty
- extra funding to keep more children out of poverty from funds initially set aside to mitigate the UK Government’s two-child cap, including £50 million of whole family support and a further £49 million for measures to be announced in the Child Poverty Delivery Plan in March
“That is why our key pledge is to reduce child poverty by supporting families who continue to struggle in a cost-of-living crisis that was driven by Tory austerity and is being continued under Labour at Westminster.
“The SNP’s key pledge to reduce child poverty – bolstered by this new funding – is the reason that Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is set to reduce. I look forward to seeing that reflected in future Orkney community planning reports.”
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