Committee announce visit to Scottish Highlands and Islands
17 June 2011
The Scottish Affairs Committee will visit the Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands and Caithness in connection with its inquiries into the Crown Estate in Scotland, and Health and Safety in Scotland, from Sunday 19 June until Friday 24 June.
Ian Davidson MP, Chair of the Committee, said:
“The majority of our meetings and visits will focus on aspects of the committee’s inquiry into the Crown Estate in Scotland, particularly in examining how the Crown Estate can best act in the public interest and its relationship with local communities which are directly affected by the decisions it makes. It is vital that we meet individuals and organisations on the ground, to hear firsthand about their experiences.
We are also taking the opportunity of the visit to incorporate strands of our inquiry on Health and Safety in Scotland. Again, we want to talk directly to people about the effectiveness of health and safety regulation in Scotland, for example what are the specific concerns of local businesses in sectors such as fishing, renewable energy and oil and gas.
In addition, we will also seek information as to how employment and enterprise are being sustained in the present economic difficulties. In particular, we will want to clarify how helpful banks are being in supporting all their customers.”
Details of the visit include:
Monday 20 June - Shetland
Includes meetings with: Shetland Marine Energy Group, Shetland Aquaculture, Lerwick Port Authority, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Shetland; and tours of: Lerwick Harbour, Shetland Museum.
Tuesday 21 June – Shetland, Orkney
Includes meetings with: Shetland Amenity Trust, Shetland Arts, Promote Shetland, Shetland Islands Council’s Telecom Project, Greig Seafood Hjaltland UK Ltd, Lerwick Fish Traders, Shetland Islands Council Development Committee; and visits to: Community Abattoir and Marts, Orkney Lobster Hatchery, Hatston Pier in Kirkwall - Scotrenewables Tidal Device.
Wednesday 22 June – Orkney, Caithness
Includes meetings with: Orkney Fishermans Society, Stewarts fisheries, European Marine Energy Centre, International Centre for Island Technology, Gills Harbour Ltd; a flight to view Orkney/marine devices and the seabed; and a visit to the Highland Park Distillery and the Crown Estate’s leased tidal stream electricity sites in the Pentland Firth.
Thursday 23 June – Caithness
Includes visits to: Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment, Scrabster Harbour; and meetings with: Highlands and Islands Enterprise & Caithness Chamber of Commerce.
Friday 24 June – Wick
Tour of Wick Marina and meeting with representatives of the Crown Estate.
Media
Media requests in relation to the visit should be sent to the committee’s media officer, Rebecca Jones, on jonesbl@parliament.uk