McArthur comments on Scottish Budget

Commenting on the Scottish Government budget announced today, Orkney’s MSP Liam McArthur said:

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats were clear that this budget needed to include measures that would improve the lives of people across Scotland, in areas such as health, social care, housing and transport, making some contribution towards repairing the damage of 17 years of mismanagement.

“The increase in NHS funding is a positive sign, and I hope this will help towards meeting the growing demands in areas such as mental health, as well as access to dentistry. While these are national problems, there is a distinct rural and island dimension.

“Support for the agriculture sector confirms what was expected, but will come as a relief to farmers and crofters in Orkney and across Scotland, including the return of £46m previously taken from the farming budget.

“I’m also pleased to see the additional funding allocated to Orkney Islands Council in relation transport, which should enable progress to be made on replacing the local ferry fleet. New vessels are obviously long overdue on these lifeline routes and I look forward to seeing how this funding might unlock the impasse on this vital issue.

“I and my Scottish Liberal Democrat colleagues will continue to engage constructively with the government to see where further improvements can be achieved. However, I recognise the distance that Ministers have already travelled in responding to our demands.

“But as with any budget, the devil is always in the detail, and our support is not guaranteed. I will be taking time over the coming weeks, therefore, to scrutinise the details of what the Finance Secretary has announced this afternoon.”