Latest news with #WesternIsles
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Ferry fares under review but no decision on RET, says minister
The Scottish government is reviewing west coast ferry fares, but insisted that no decisions have been made on the future of cheaper invests about £25m every year to reduce the cost of fares on CalMac crossings under a scheme called road equivalent tariff (RET).RET applies to both islanders and visitors, and is available on Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) - including the Western Isles, and if it could be scrapped for non-islanders, Connectivity Minister Jim Fairlie told BBC Naidheachdan that all options had to be "on the table and then ruled out one by one". He said fares were being looked at as part of a wider review of the resilience of CalMac's Fairlie added: "We are going to look at everything. There are no decisions made on anything at this stage." What is RET? RET is a distance-based fares structure and was introduced by the SNP on a trial basis in 2008 on routes to the Western Isles, Coll and was rolled out across the remaining CHFS routes by the Stornoway-Ullapool route, RET means a single fare for a foot passenger costs £12.30 and £66.75 for the scheme, they would cost £25.75 and £128.70, according to Transport said single fares on the Oban-Tiree route without RET would cost £22.60 for foot passengers and £135.60 for RET, they are £13.70 and £74.75. 'Supporting islanders' Mr Fairlie said the review would look at how more revenue could be raised to improve the resilience of CalMac's said: "I think people are wise enough to understand that governments have to look at every possible option."Mr Fairlie said the Scottish government was committed to supporting island Scotland said that, under the Islands Connectivity Plan, it was working towards implementing islander and non-islander fares across CHFS and Northern Isles networks. A spokesperson said: "No final decisions have been taken on the detail of this and there will be engagement with stakeholders in due course."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Western Isles Council pauses plans for a visitor levy
Plans to develop a "tourist tax" for the Western Isles have been put on nan Eilean Siar, along with other Scottish local authorities, were given powers to introduce a visitor levy on overnight accommodation in a report to councillors said a cost benefit analysis suggested it would have "marginal benefits", and could potentially harm the islands' tourism said the pause would also allow time for a potential introduction of a "point-of-entry" levy, which could be charged at ports and airports. Councillors were told that Orkney and Shetland island councils had adopted a similar policy to pause the introduction of their visitor levy in the Western Isles has been growing, with more than 389,000 visitors in 2023 - up 21.8% from 2022 figures, according to a feasibility report prepared for the report said accommodation was mostly provided by small-scale self-catering providers, with 1,246 businesses offering about 7,900 South Ayrshire Council is set to abandon plans for a tourist tax in the local authority mooted the prospect of charging for overnight stays in a bid to boost its a public consultation into the plan was heavily negative, with only 15% of respondents supporting the proposal compared to 79% by local democracy reporter Peter Urpeth.
Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
SNP boosts Gaelic education in languages bill
SNP ministers have given parents across Scotland the right to demand a Gaelic school in their area, despite only about 1 per cent of the population speaking the language. Kate Forbes, the Deputy First Minister, said parents anywhere in the country could make a request for a school where the curriculum is taught through the medium of Gaelic. Councils would be required to assess if the request was 'practical and affordable' under provisions contained in a new Scottish Languages Bill. After taking advice, ministers might direct local authorities to proceed with the new school if assessment deemed it to be viable. But Stephen Kerr, a Scottish Tory MSP, said the plan was 'a staggering misjudgement of priorities' and 'a blatant example of the SNP chasing ideological vanity projects'. Scotland's most recent census, conducted in 2022, found there were only 58,000 Gaelic speakers. This equates to 1.1 per cent of the population, with half living in the Western Isles. The last monolingual Gaelic speakers died about 50 years ago, but successive Labour and SNP-led Scottish governments have tried to encourage more children and adults to learn the language. Ms Forbes's announcement came after it emerged in April that the number of modern language teachers in Scotland has dropped by nearly a quarter since 2008, the year after the SNP came to power. Over this period, the number of French teachers has plummeted by 44.2 per cent, while the number teaching German has fallen by 63.3 per cent. There were 66 German teachers in all Scottish schools – a record low. Scotland has also fallen down international league tables for literacy, with pupils dropping behind their English counterparts in reading and writing. Unveiling the new plan at Inverness Gaelic Primary School, Ms Forbes said: 'This Bill aims to build a strong foundation to support Gaelic's continued growth following an encouraging increase in Gaelic speakers and learners across Scotland. 'It would boost Gaelic education provision throughout Scotland, and better establish Gaelic and Scots as national languages. 'Gaelic medium education enriches communities and offers good value for money. Gaelic medium schools frequently demonstrate above-average performance, with some local authorities showing better grades across all qualification levels despite costs being no greater than English medium schools.' The Bill will also introduce educational standards for Gaelic and Scots, establish them both as 'official languages' and support the 'creation of areas of linguistic significance in Gaelic communities'. But Mr Kerr was critical, saying: 'Scotland's education system is in a state of serious decline – standards in literacy and numeracy are falling, teachers are overstretched, and far too many pupils are being failed. 'Yet the SNP Government thinks the priority is to open Gaelic schools in areas where Gaelic isn't spoken as an everyday language. This is a staggering misjudgement of priorities. 'It's a blatant example of the SNP chasing ideological vanity projects instead of addressing the real problems facing Scotland's classrooms.' 'Dismal record on languages' Miles Briggs, the Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary, said: 'This should not deflect SNP ministers from ignoring their dismal record on other languages, given they have presided over the loss of hundreds of modern language teachers. 'Together with their failure to eradicate the attainment gap, and an alarming rise in violence in our classrooms, these plans cannot neglect the urgent need to reverse the decline the SNP's policies have caused in Scotland's schools.' Bilingual signs have been erected in Scotland since the 1990s, after first being approved by Donald Dewar when he was Scottish secretary under Tony Blair, before becoming the first first minister following devolution.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Isle of Harris Distillery offered Scottish government support
The Scottish government says it will 'do everything it can' to help Isle of Harris Distillery and its workers after the company announced redundancies. The maker of Isle of Harris Gin and single malt whiskies employs 50 director Simon Erlanger said the spirits industry was facing "challenging headwinds" and having to make difficult Minister Richard Lochhead said the Scottish government was paying close attention to the situation and working with the Western Isles-based company. The Moray SNP MSP told BBC Scotland News "volatility in the global market" had impacted on commercial decision-making in the whisky industry. But he said the Scottish government was confident the market would "pick up" in the development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has asked Isle of Harris Distillery for clarity on its situation, and its implications for the workforce. Ministers said redundancy initiative - Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) - was also ready to offer free advice and support to people affected. Isle of Harris Distillery said it welcomed any further government said it was supporting staff who had applied for voluntary redundancy to secure future employment. 'Deeply regrettable' In April, Isle of Harris Distillery said it would reduce its production and workforce as part of a restructuring distillery opened in 2015 with just 10 employees. Scotland's whisky industry previously warned tariffs imposed by the US - its most important overseas market - would be a "huge blow".Last week, the UK and US governments reached a deal on some areas of international trade, but President Donald Trump's blanket 10% tax on imports still applies to most goods entering the managing director Simon Erlanger said restructuring was needed to safeguard the future of the said voluntary redundancy was being offered to staff following cost-cutting measures, with compulsory redundancy to follow if reduction targets were not met. Mr Erlanger said the move was "deeply regrettable", adding that the distillery represented more than £20m investment in the island's week, trade body The Scotch Whisky Association described a UK-India deal, which would half tariffs on gin and whisky, as a landmark moment for the industry. In 2022, the Harris distillery secured £10m in funding from HSBC to pay for a new export drive to distribute its gin to more than 20 markets around the includes the US, Canada, France and Germany.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Get the people fed' say islanders hit by Co-op cyber attack
Islay isn't the obvious location for the frontline of cyber crime but the picturesque island famous for its wildlife and whisky distilleries is dealing with the real world impacts of the major supermarket hack. The targeting of retailers including Marks and Spencer and Co-op has led to sporadic empty shelves across UK stores as the companies slowed deliveries and shut down parts of their IT systems in response to cyber attacks. In most places, disappointed customers at least have the option of visiting other supermarkets to pick up supplies. But communities across Scotland's Western Isles generally don't have that luxury. In this part of the country, Co-op is often the only large store, with some smaller independent retailers operating. "The Co-op is so important here," said Brian Palmer, editor of local newspaper, The Ileach. "We don't think because we live here that we should have every convenience you get on the mainland but I think a lack of food is probably stretching it a wee bit." No one is starving as a result of shortages but there is clear frustration with the lack of fresh food available. Staff at the Bowmore Co-op said the last full delivery was at the start of May. There have since been smaller deliveries, but not of what is required. The first aisle of the shop usually stocked with chilled meat, fruit and vegetables was almost completely bare on Friday afternoon. As was the bread section shortly after a morning delivery. "It's easy to shop when there's nothing to pick from," one customer joked as they left the store. A Co-op worker said they had dealt with red weather warnings and covid but "no one understands a cyber attack." The company told the BBC last week that the attack on its systems meant store deliveries had been hit and the hack had resulted in "significant" amounts of customer data being stolen. Co-op said "remote lifeline stores" will receive extra deliveries soon. A "spokesperson said: "We take our responsibility to our Scottish island stores and communities very seriously. "As a result of the Cyber-attack, and the steps we took to keep our systems safe, we currently have a temporary contingency stock ordering and delivery process, where we have prioritised the quantity of stock and deliveries to these lifeline stores. "From Monday, 12 of the most remote lifeline stores will receive treble the volume of available product, and another 20 lifeline stores will get double the volume. "We would like to thank all members, customers and our amazing store colleagues for their support and goodwill through this time. Construction business manager Donald Gillies said he's been unable to provide a good lunch for his site workers in port Ellen throughout the last week. Asked if enough was being done to deliver food he said: "That's tosh (rubbish)." "It's poor, it's really poor. Something has gone wrong in the IT system and like everything else in society it's all computer-driven and no one can make a bloomin' decision to send food over. "Get the people fed." Jude McCorry, chief executive of the Cyber and Fraud Centre based in Edinburgh, said it can take along time for companies to fully recover from cyber attacks. "Even companies we don't think of as tech firms rely heavily on complex systems that take time to recover," she said, "We know from past experience that some cyber attacks are debilitating for months. "I'm not saying there'll be this level of disruption for weeks and months, but it can take a long time for organisations to get back to the way they were before an attack." On Islay, people are full of praise for the local Co-op workers, they know it's not a local issue. Sheena MacKellar from Islay Gaelic Centre took aim at the group behind the hack. "These people are selfish. They are affecting the wrong people. "We're hard working honest people and we're the ones who are suffering and having to work round it. "But we're islanders, we're made of stronger stuff." Co-op cyber attack leaves island shop shelves empty Co-op cyber attack affects customer data, firm admits, after hackers contact BBC
