Highlands and Islands SNP MSP, Emma Roddick, has welcomed the announcement that projects in Inverness and its environs will receive £20,000 from the first round of grants from the Scotland Loves Local Fund. The funding, announced this week, is supporting over 100 organisations, who will receive a share of the £1.5 million funding boost to [...]

Emma Roddick MSP has emphasised the importance of promoting freight by rail in parliament today, questioning the Scottish Government on whether this had been fully considered in the development of the second phase of Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (STPR2) which determines which transport projects in Scotland will be prioritised for funding. Roddick has been [...]

Speaking in a parliamentary debate on addressing issues with take-up of social security benefits, Emma Roddick MSP highlighted the work of a number of organisations across the Highlands and Islands that are working to end food poverty and noted the importance of person-centred, humane approaches in the Scottish Government’s benefit take-up strategy. Roddick said: “As [...]

Emma Roddick MSP visited Migdale and Ledmore woods this week to chat to Woodland Trust workers about upcoming changes to legislation and their plans to introduce capercaillie to the woods. Roddick, who is the Scottish Environment LINK “Capercaillie Champion”, said: “It was great to get out in the fresh air and talk to the Woodland [...]

Highlands MSP Emma Roddick has renewed calls for smaller council areas as she pressed the Minister for Parliamentary Business on whether he felt the Highland Council could be considered a “local” authority. The Highland Council is the largest of all council areas in Scotland, covering roughly one-third of the country, and a review of its [...]

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament last week, Emma Roddick MSP highlighted the work of third sector organisations in providing support to vulnerable people across the Highlands and Islands over the course of the pandemic. Noting in particular the efforts of the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI) in supporting charities across the region and signposting people [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has reacted to a Highland Council debate on a motion opposing short-term let regulation which was led by a short-term let owner, describing it as "shameful at best". The motion at Thursday's council meeting sought to back proposals from the Association of Scottish Self-Caterers (ASSC) to limit regulation of [...]

SNP MSP Emma Roddick today slammed the UK Government budget, criticising it as “an act of class warfare on the side of the rich.” The budget, described by the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies as “actually awful” for living standards, was panned by the Highlands and Islands MSP, citing its failures to tackle [...]

Emma Roddick MSP is pleased with the announcement made today, the 25th of October, regarding a ‘Framework for discussion’ being reached in the Highlands and Islands air traffic control dispute. Roddick said: "I am delighted to hear that Prospect and HIAL have been able to come to an agreement regarding the future of the airports [...]

Emma Roddick spent Tuesday the 19th of October visiting 6 different community groups in the Inverness area who all share a keen focus on food poverty, support, and helping others. These groups were: Food for Families, Café 1668, Crown & City Community Cupboard, Inverness Food Stuff, GoodNESS Community Fridge, and Incredible Edible Inverness. Speaking following [...]