MPS BACK CAMPAIGN FOR FAIR FUNDING FOR HIGHLANDS

14-Dec-2009

Highland MPs have today tabled a motion in the House of Commons backing the campaign to secure a fairer funding settlement for Highland Council, launched today by Highland Council leader Michael Foxley and Liberal Democrats in the region.

Highland Liberal Democrats are campaigning for the Scottish and UK governments to recognise the extra costs of delivering public services in Britain's largest and most sparsely populated region. The ‘Fair Deal for the Highlands' campaign is calling for:

· Restoration of financial flexibility to the Highland Council by the Scottish government

· The Scottish government to award an additional £10 million to Highland Council as the unrecognised extra cost of delivering services in the region

· The UK government to write off the Highland Council's housing debt – which currently costs the authority £15 million a year

· The UK government to allow a reduced rate of fuel duty in remote areas, as other European countries do, which would reduce the authorities huge transport costs

The text of the Commons motion, signed by Danny Alexander, Charles Kennedy, and John Thurso, is below.

Commenting, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Danny Alexander said:

"Everyone knows that substantial savings need to be found over the next few years across the public sector. The Highland council leadership is addressing these challenges openly, responsibility, and fairly. But the savings they make should be based on an allocation of funds that is fair.

"Neither the Scottish nor UK governments properly recognise that there are huge extra costs of delivering services in the Highlands. We hope that they will respond positively to this campaign – if they do not then the financial situation in the Highlands will be much tougher than it needs to be."

Charles Kennedy, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said:

"This campaign is crucial to help ease the financial situation that the Highland Council is currently facing. I urge the Scottish and UK governments to look at this issue seriously and to acknowledge the unique situation that the rural Highlands is in when it comes to the cost of delivering good public services. The people of the Highlands deserve a better deal than the one they are currently getting."

ENDS