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Issues

 

ROSS WELCOMES FUEL DUTY CUT

 

Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative candidate for Moray, has welcomed the announcement by Chancellor George Osborne to scrap Labour's fuel duty escalator and cut duty by a further 1p.  Commenting Douglas said:

"The savings the coalition government are having to make to get the country out of the huge financial mess they inherited are significant but in this budget the government have listened to the many people from across Moray and the UK who were calling on the government to scrap the 4p increase Labour had planned, in fact they went further by reducing duty by 1p per litre.

"While this still leaves the price of fuel too high it is a welcome start and shows that this government does care about drivers and understands the consequences increasing costs of fuel have for areas such as Moray.  Be it families who have a car as a necessity not a luxury, the farmers who are constantly faced with increased costs or the haulers who transport some of Moray's finest produce all over the country, everyone will benefit for these announcements today.

"As I have said this is a welcome start and hopefully the fuel price stabiliser, which will be trialled in the Highlands and Islands, will be successful and can be rolled out to other parts of the country.  One thing is for sure, the cost of fuel cannot be allowed to continually increase.  The decision in the budget has not only stopped the price increasing, it has cut the price we are paying at the pumps."

 

Douglas signs The Pledge for Prostate Cancer
Douglas Ross signs the prostate cancer pledge
 
Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative candidate for Moray has expressed his backing for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month by signing The Pledge for Prostate Cancer.
 
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, which runs from 1 – 31 March, is an annual health awareness campaign organised by The Prostate Cancer Charity. The theme of the month is a celebration of awareness and The Prostate Cancer Charity Scotland is mobilising people and urging them to 'declare they are aware'.
 
Douglas said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Scotland. 2,700 men in Scotland are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and 19,000 are currently living with the disease. Two men die of prostate cancer every day.  
 
“I discussed with Ann Ferguson (Head of Scotland Operations at The Prostate Cancer Charity) their concerns that men living in more rural areas such as Moray are less likely to go for these checks as the issue is perhaps not as well advertised as it is in the larger cities.  I fully support any move to get more men checked for this disease, an all clear can give you peace of mind or an early diagnosis can give you a far greater chance of recovery.  Either way, as the pledge says, if you are aware your health will benefit.
 
“Despite this, we still have a long way to go in terms of understanding the causes and identifying the most effective ways of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer - as well as improving the public’s knowledge of some of the issues faced by people affected by the disease.
 
“That’s why I was delighted to sign The Pledge for Prostate Cancer during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month 2011. I hope men and women of all ages and all walks of life get behind the campaign and are able to declare ‘I’m aware’ come April.”
 
Ann Ferguson, Head of Scotland Operations at The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: “It is fantastic that Douglas is showing his support for men and their families affected by prostate cancer. We hope many more politicians will follow suit and back the pledge to ensure prostate cancer remains firmly in the spotlight well beyond Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and that the improvements we are calling for receive due attention.”

SCANLON AND ROSS - SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER SNP FUNDING FOR FLOOD SCHEME

Douglas Ross and Mary Scanlon view the River Finhorn.

 

Mary Scanlon, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, and Douglas Ross, Conservative candidate for the Scottish elections and a member of the Moray Council Flood Alleviation Sub-Committee, have raised serious concerns about the lack of support from the SNP Scottish Government for vital Moray flood schemes after an opportunity to reassure businesses and homeowners that the Forres River Findhorn and Pilmuir Scheme would go ahead was not taken by Finance Minister, John Swinney.

Speaking after raising the issue at question time in the Scottish Parliament, Mary Scanlon said;

"This SNP government have left Moray Council with little opportunity but to take out prudential borrowing which council tax payers will be funding for the next 40 years to cover the shortfall in funding for the Elgin scheme, but at least the scheme is going ahead. I asked the Finance Secretary to give an assurance that before this session of Parliament ends the River Findhorn and Pilmuir scheme will commence but he chose not to. The SNP are simply kicking this into the long grass.

"Despite all their statements that they would stand up for rural communities and protect against flooding they have failed many businesses and homes that need protecting from this scheme. Not only will they not be up front and honest about their inability to provide funding, their own reporter's inquiry findings on the scheme was with Ministers since last year but the delay in the Government'so announcement led to further uncertainty."

Commenting after raising the issue at Wednesday's flood Alleviation Sub-Committee, Douglas Ross said:

"For the Scottish Government to say they were unaware of this scheme as it was not mentioned in 2007 is as disingenuous as it is insulting.  One, the Scottish Government sent up a reporter to hold a public inquiry into the scheme which would tell me they knew about it; two, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for flooding is the local MSP and three, we found out today that all councils who responded, 27 in total, to a request from the Moray flood alleviation team stated they were unaware of the Scottish Government's stance on schemes pre and post 2007.  John Swinney said if Moray Council were not aware of this they were 'not paying adequate attention' but from this response it seems no Council across Scotland held the same view as the Scottish Government.

"However as I said at the Flood Alleviation meeting, we must work with everybody to get answers quickly.  Finally the Scottish Government have decided on the Flood Prevention Order but they need to reveal what they can and can not pay for.  No more smoke and mirrors from the SNP, the people of Forres who are vulnerable to flooding without this scheme deserve no less.

"I think it must also be remembered that while the council have spent millions on this scheme to date, many objectors have also spent thousands of pounds at the Public Local Inquiry.  If the Scottish Government and the local MSP knew in 2007 that the scheme would not receive funding why did it not tell people then to save expenditure from members of the public and the council on a scheme which may never come to fruition?"

Campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth

 

Moray Conservatives are working with all local and national groups in the fight to retain RAF Lossiemouth which is under threat of closure, and following the decision to cancel the Nimrod contract which will see Kinloss close as an RAF base.

Conservative Councillor and candidate for next years election, Douglas Ross, joined Scottish Party Leader, Annabel Goldie MSP, and regional list MSPs at the march and rally to save the base which was held recently and saw thousands march is support its retention.

Local conservatives will continue to do all we can to press the case for retaining RAF Lossiemouth and also call for more support for Kinloss and the surrounding area when the camp closes as an RAF base.

Conservatives back campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth
 
Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative candidate for Moray, attended the party’s group meeting in the Scottish Parliamentrecently to enlist the support of all Conservative MSPs for the Northern Scot campaign to retain RAF Lossiemouth.  Commenting Douglas said:
 
“I didn’t have to ask twice to get the support of the group and those who couldn’t be at the meeting have since signed up to the campaign so every Scottish Conservative MSP has now signed the petition.  I will join Annabel at the march and rally on Sunday and will continue to work with anyone and everyone to retain RAF Lossiemouth.”
 
Annabel Goldie, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said:
 
“I fully understand the fears and worries of the people of Moray and I urge our governments to work with the local community and local council to chart a way forward and to identify opportunities.
 
“Moray is an area of resilience with skilled and talented people and we must all do everything we can to help them through this challenging period.  It will be an honour to meet with and march with the people of Moray on Sunday.”
 
Mary Scanlon, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands, added:
 
“I have had discussions with Ministers at the MOD to press the case for retaining RAF Lossiemouth and I spoke in a debate in Parliament this week stressing the importance of saving RAF Lossiemouth and highlighting the support of all Scottish Conservative MSPs to this most urgent campaign.”
 
Jamie McGrigor, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands, commented:
 
“It is encouraging to see the support being shown to the RAF in this fight to retain the base locally.  Everything that can be done, must be done, to ensure that the strongest case to retain RAF Lossiemouth is made.”
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