Thank you very much for your correspondence regarding the SIF manifesto. George Lyon has asked me to email you back on his behalf.

Having lived on the Isle of Bute for most of my life, I am well aware of the issues confronting island communities.  If elected, I will work hard to make sure that European legislation works in the best interest of island communities and gives these communities every opportunity available to flourish.

Last year, the Scottish Government introduced a three-year ‘pilot’ providing cheaper ferry fares, based on the Road Equivalent Tariff, for three ferry routes to the Western Isles.  While I am certainly in favour of cheaper ferry fares to increase tourism to the islands and help island economies, myself and my Scottish Lib Dem colleagues were outraged that these plans neglected the rest of Scotland’s Islands.  I do not support unfair advantages being given to one particular island group, but instead will work to promote a policy towards the islands that will protect and benefit all of Scotland’s islands, as I feel that working together as a community is the best way forward.

In terms of the need for islands to innovate to meet their challenges, I completely agree. Luckily, Scotland has the opportunity to be a leading power in the field of clean, renewable energies, especially wind, wave and tidal energy.  Scotland’s islands clearly have a role to play in the development of these renewable energies and the investment that comes with this sector could be very beneficial for island economies. 

In terms of the questions included in your manifesto, I will address those now.

1.       I would most certainly support setting up an Island Affairs Committee providing that it has real powers to effect change and is not just a talking shop.  If we are to truly ensure that the islands’ needs are adequately considered, this committee will need real power.

2.       Yes, I would support this proposal and would like to see State Aids rules amended to reflect the needs of our island communities.

3.       The most important issue is to find ways to reduce the cost of transport to our islands.  This is fundamental to their prosperity and, as I said before, it is an outrage that the SNP government introduced RET for some of our islands and not all of them.  I will campaign for that to change.

4.       I support regional management of our fisheries by local fishermen and community representatives as the only way to manage them sustainably.  If elected, I will endeavor to continue the excellent record that Elspeth Attwooll MEP (who is stepping down this year) has set with her work on the Common Fisheries Policy in the European Parliament.  Elspeth has fought hard to make sure that more power is given to local fishermen, scientists and communities through Regional Advisory Councils, and I will work to continue the progress she has already made.

5.       Yes, I agree that we must continue to work hard to make sure that any tourist activities developed for the islands have the island communities’ best interest in mind and that they enrich island life, not disrupt it.

6.       Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing us today and it is an issue that the new Parliament will have to confront on day one. 

7.       I absolutely agree that the protection of coastal and marine environments must be a major priority in Europe.  Scotland’s unique islands and coastlines are essential to Scotland’s economic success and they must be protected.  I believe that this issue is a prime example of why we do need an island Affairs Committee, which could lead the way in collecting better knowledge and data about the islands to ensure that the EU enacts the best possible policies to safeguard these essential communities.

8.       Finally, as I mentioned above, I am fully in support of Scotland’s islands being the sites of pilot projects, especially in the field of renewable energy.  I think this is a particular field where Scotland can truly excel, and pilot projects will bring a number of significant benefits to the island communities, including new jobs and services that can help these communities to flourish.

If there is anything else I can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact me in the future at george.lyon@scotlibdems.org.uk

Yours sincerely,

George Lyon

Scottish Lib Dem European Candidate