Concerns over interconnector 21/5/13
Sir,
Last week’s press reports of the report on transmission costs to the islands shows the value of local representatives engaging with the energy secretary to achieve progress for the islands. My fellow Liberal Democrats in the north’s invitation to Ed Davey to see the problem himself and to engage him in the issue led to the commissioning of the report published last week. Rapid progress on an issue which has been debated in the islands for the last 10 years and a fine example of the value of Liberal Democrats in Government and of practical and pragmatic engagement with ministers.
I note with interest the enthusiastic support of Fergus Ewing and Angus MacNeil to its effect and Angus Campbell’s understandable concerns about the further delays to the interconnector and its effect on the economy of the Western Isles. Might this unfortunate situation have been avoided had Western Isles representatives added their practical support earlier to the debate instead of just issuing the usual press release when someone else has achieved progress?
I would be very interested to know what practical action was taken to ensure that the Western Isles were not sidelined in the development of the renewables industry, not least because it is the SNP who nationally claim to be so supportive of the industry. As an observer it looks to me like the future of the Western Isles may be sacrificed on the altar of East Coast infrastructure development. If that is the case the buck stops with Western Isles elected parliamentary representatives whose responsibility is first and foremost to fight for their own constituents!
Jean Davis
22 The Cairns
Muir of Ord