Commenting after today's vote on the Scottish Budget 2024/25, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said the SNP/Scottish Greens Government had dealt a devastating blow to communities across his region, leaving them reeling from underfunding and cuts to vital services.
Scottish Conservative MSP Mr Halcro Johnston said:
“As SNP and Green MSPs force through this dreadful Budget, it is communities across the Highlands and Islands that will have to deal with the consequences.
“After years of financial pressure, local councils have seen funding squeezed even further, threatening the vital local services so many – including some of our most vulnerable residents – rely on most.
“With pressure already on the availability of housing in communities right across the region, and on the very day that it was announced that homelessness' in Scotland has risen again, the Scottish Government has rubber-stamped a staggering £190m cut to the housing budget. This is shameful and will only make it harder for local people to find a home in their own community.
“The Rural Affairs budget has been slashed by nearly £80m, with supposedly ring-fenced farming cash syphoned off for use to plug gaps elsewhere. And funding for Highlands and Islands Enterprise has also been cut, hamstringing this vital driver of economic growth in the region.
“And this bad budget will also lead to further delays to vital improvements in local health services, such as the much-needed new Belford Hospital in Fort William, as well as the Gilbert Ban in Lerwick. This is bad for patients, staff and the local communities left relying on ageing facilities that are increasingly unfit for purpose.
“This Budget, and its potentially devastating impact, has been almost universally condemned. Despite this, local SNP and Scottish Green MSPs have just waived it through.
“They put loyalty to their government in Edinburgh ahead of their constituents in the Highlands and Islands, and local communities won’t forgive them for that”.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Key points:
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Underfunded councils: The new budget neglects the needs of local councils, with central belt government failing to prioritise the wellbeing of Highlands and Islands communities.
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Worsening housing crisis: With a staggering £190 million cut from housing budgets, the region's already severe housing shortage will worsen, leaving families without access to safe and affordable accommodation.
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Neglect of rural affairs: Rural Scotland is facing severe cuts, including nearly £80 million from the Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands budget. Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP has twice challenged Deputy First Minister Shona Robison over the delay in returning ring-fenced farm funding to Scottish agriculture, stressing the urgent need for support. She claims it will come when it's needed. Halcro Johnston insists: "Well Shona, it's needed now!
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Critical health infrastructure delayed: Plans to replace Fort William's ageing Belford Hospital will be delayed again by the 2024/25 Scottish Budget, putting vital health services at risk for local people.
Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP declares the Scottish Budget 2024/25 'dreadful for the Highlands and Islands', highlighting its detrimental impact on both businesses and local communities. This vote confirms the central belt government's disregard for the wellbeing of Highlands and Islands communities.
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