Scottish Government support package is just £10 per islander

Responding to the Scottish Government's announcement of additional financial support for six local authorities with islands, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said:

"This will not even touch the sides of the cost-of-living crisis. Spread equally it amounts to less than £10 per islander.

"Island authorities regularly top the table for fuel poverty and on top of that many have had to deal with months of fallout from the SNP ferry fiasco.

"Medical appointments have been missed and island businesses have taken a battering. SNP ministers should put in place a proper support fund to compensate for years of failure by this government.

"In Orkney, we need long term funding to replace our ageing ferry fleet and a fairer local authority settlement to protect vital local services."