Scottish Budget 2025-26
On Tuesday the Scottish Budget 2025-26 was passed and, along with my party colleagues, I voted for it. Scottish Liberal Democrats have been able to secure several of our priorities after months of negotiations, including: - Drugs and neonatal services with a special focus on creating new services for babies born addicted to drugs;
- an additional £3.5 million so colleges can deliver the skills our economy and public services need, with new programmes focused on care and offshore wind to create a pipeline of skilled workers;
- millions more to be spent on dedicated Long Covid, ME and Chronic Fatigue support;
- and ahead of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, persuading the Scottish Government to look more closely at the project for a new Gilbert Bain Hospital.
Orkney
I was in Orkney on Friday where, along with Orkney MSP Liam McArthur, I met with the Orkney Drugs Dog charity. We discussed island issues that are shared with Shetland’s Dogs Against Drugs, and heard about their education programme and funding challenges. Along with colleagues Alistair Carmichael, Liam McArthur and Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, there was a visit to Orkney’s fourth Parasport Festival at the Pickaquoy Centre where children of all ages were trying out different sporting activities, with great enthusiasm, well supported by sporting leaders and volunteers. In the afternoon I joined NFU Scotland representatives and other colleagues, including Sir Ed Davey MP who had flown in that afternoon, for a meeting at a local farm to hear directly about the impact of current farming policies. We discussed current beef prices and the high investment for new entrants, as well the fragility of Shetland’s dairy herd. Jo Grimond dinner
On Friday evening, Orkney Liberal Democrats held a dinner to celebrate an historic 70 years since Jo Grimond won the Orkney and Shetland seat in Westminster. That has led to an unbroken line of MPs and MSPs representing the Northern Isles during that time. Speeches from Ed Davey and Alex Cole-Hamilton, while considering Jo’s legacy, reflected on the extraordinary, televised scenes that afternoon from the Oval Office. Our support for Ukraine remains steadfast. Transport debate
On Wednesday I took part in a debate on Scotland’s Rail service. I highlighted the need for a simplified ticketing system as a means to increase passenger uptake as the present service is plagued by complicated options. I also spoke of the need to balance spending across the transport budget to ensure that there is adequate spending for communities across Scotland including on ferries, roads and upgraded infrastructure. Cross Party Group (CPG) on Islands
At the group’s annual general meeting I was re-confirmed as Deputy Convener for the CPG. The group is currently working on an ‘Island Showcase’ event be held in the Scottish Parliament in April to demonstrate to other colleagues the variety of enterprise and innovation in Scotland’s islands. Island health boards
In Thursday’s General Questions session I asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care about the benefit of separate island NHS health boards. NHS Shetland already works well in partnership with NHS Grampian and other health boards for treatments that are not available in the isles. Scottish Labour’s proposals to reduce the current number of health boards to three ‘superboards’ demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of island and rural communities if they think that our needs are best served by a health board that could be based as far away as Dundee. Have Labour learned nothing from the SNP's failures in trying to centralise the running of social care services or the erosion of local links when a single national police force was established. Regardless of which party proposes centralising health services it is a bad idea, bad when proposed by the SNP and bad too now that they are being proposed by Labour. Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee took evidence from the Scottish Human Rights Commission about rights in the Highlands and Islands. This follows a debate I took part in back in January on the Commission’s Spotlight Project into Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands. Shetland Times column
Read my latest Shetland Times column from Friday 28th February. Advice Surgery
My next Constituency Advice Surgery will be held with Alistair Carmichael MP on Friday 7th March at 16:00 – 17:00 in Isleburgh Community Centre. No appointment necessary. For more information please contact me on the details below. Follow me
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Phone: 01595 690 044
Email: beatrice.wishart.msp@parliament.scot
Write or drop in: Shetland Parliamentary Office, 171 Commercial St, Lerwick, ZE1 0HX | 