HPMAs, buses, carbon emmissions

This week, in a debate on Sustainable Food Supply, my amendment highlighting the importance of fishing and aquaculture in the food supply chain, received support from opposition parties but not the SNP/Green Scottish Government.

During my speech I made the point that opposition to HPMA proposals are not arguments against protection of marine habitats and life, but concern about the policy as presented and the Scottish Government’s lack of engagement with coastal and islands on this proposal. You can watch my speech here. I also took part in a members’ debate on HPMAs earlier in the week which you can watch here.

I also spoke in a Labour party debate on buses. Buses have a roll to play in helping us to reach our net zero targets, but we need to see better provision across the country and innovation in route developments. I also raised the need for investment in national connectivity infrastructure, such as broadband and tunnels for Shetland to improve commuting and working from home to help reduce carbon emissions. You can see my contribution here. Next week is Scottish bus week.

Amongst other engagements this week, I attended a Cross Party Group meeting on Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), a briefing from Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the annual British Veterinary Association (BVA) dinner where we heard concerns about the shortage of vets across the country.