Budget is good deal for islands says MSP 5/2/10
SNP MSP Alasdair Allan says several areas of the Scottish Government budget plans are of particular relevance to people in the Western Isles.
Alasdair Allan said: "Once more, John Swinney has achieved some remarkable arithmetic
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"Perhaps even more of a task for him has been putting together spending plans that cope with over 800 million pounds of cuts to Scotland's budget made by the UK Government for this year.
"Two areas in particular are important for the islands. First is the boiler scrappage scheme, which will see millions of pounds invested by the Government to replace inefficient boilers and broader energy efficiency measures. This is particularly important in the islands, which has the highest rate of fuel poverty in Scotland.
"Another area is the complete removal of business rates for a huge number of small businesses in Scotland, and particularly in the Isles, where the majority of businesses are small ones, and the cutting of businesses rates for a large number of other businesses. This move by the Scottish Government will undoubtedly help small local businesses, who play a key role in the Isles economy, in this economically uncertain time.
"Also, prescription charges will now be cut to £3 in April and will be abolished completely for everyone in Scotland next spring. Council tax has been frozen for a further year, recognising the hardship faced by many people, including pensioners.
"Unsurprisingly Labour voted against all of this and failed to engage in any meaningful way in the budget process. Their only contribution to the debate was to demand that £500 million pounds be spent on a couple of miles of railway to Glasgow airport, yet they failed to give the slightest indication which other budgets might be cut to pay for this project.
"I believe that, by contrast, the Scottish Government, working with the Parliament as a whole, has provided a good deal for Scotland and the islands in tough economic times."