MAREE TODD: Caithness voices heard on healthcare and electricity grid
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Holyrood Notebook by Maree Todd
I always enjoy getting out and about and meeting with folk from all corners of the constituency, so I was delighted to have a week of fully booked surgeries during February recess.
Given the recent announcement around the Caithness Redesign project, healthcare was understandably a priority issue for many constituents who came along to my Wick and Thurso surgeries.
Following a meeting with NHS Highland last week, I am assured that all preparatory work that is possible at this stage is continuing, which will help enable quick progress once capital funding becomes available again. I was also reassured to hear of NHS Highland’s commitment to enhancing services and delivering as much local outpatient care as possible through the service redesign, which is continuing as planned.
I know this announcement has brought considerable disappointment to people across the county, which I fully sympathise with, but I will continue to do everything I can to drive forward much-needed improvements to healthcare in Caithness.
Support for farmers and crofters was another issue that cropped up at my surgeries. With the Environment Minister, Gillian Martin, visiting Rogart this month to meet with local crofters, it’s clear this is an area of priority for the Scottish Government.
Woodland expansion is crucial to our climate change plans and I know that during her visit, the minister was keen to highlight the government’s support for promoting trees on farms and crofts, demonstrating how the farming and forestry sectors can work together. I’m delighted that the minister also had time to stop by the stunning Flow Country too.
Recently, I attended a public meeting with the Dunbeath and Berriedale communities to discuss the proposed plans for the expansion of the grid infrastructure.
This project has sparked strong emotions where many are feeling anxious about its potential impact. While modernising and reinforcing the electricity transmission system in Scotland and the UK is crucial to supporting our transition to net zero – a priority for governments across the globe – we must ensure that this transition is fair and that community voices are not lost.
As regulation of the electricity network is overseen by the UK government, the Scottish Government’s role is limited to just the statutory consenting process. This means that the project will be assessed against the principles of Scotland’s National Planning Framework (NPF4), which places huge emphasis on the impacts of developments on communities, nature, landscape, and other natural assets.
SSEN will be holding public consultation events in the upcoming weeks, and I would strongly encourage those with concerns to attend these and make their voices heard. I will also continue to work hard on behalf of the community to mark sure they are heard throughout this process.
Much of the frustration surrounding new grid infrastructure and onshore wind developments stems from the fact that in the far north, we experience some of the highest fuel poverty rates in the country, despite our significant contribution to green energy.
My SNP colleague, Cllr Derek Louden, highlighted this issue on BBC Radio Scotland last week while discussing the UK government’s introduction of an Energy Generator Levy – a 45 per cent charge on outstanding receipts from wholesale electricity production, including renewables. Cllr Louden rightfully pointed out that, despite the anticipated £2 billion generated by this levy in Scotland this year, the people of Scotland will not reap any benefits.
This begs the crucial question – why aren’t we receiving our fair share of the wealth generated in Scotland? Why, instead, is the Scottish Government dealing with a real terms cut of 10 per cent to its capital budget? Our rural communities in the Highlands are paying a high price for a broken Westminster system.
- Maree Todd is the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
