SNP MSP for the isles, Emma Roddick, has welcomed that Shetland Islands Council has been announced as one of the successful bidders for free school meal expansion. 17 local authorities applied to partner with the Scottish Government on the Test of Change phase of the Free School Meal programme, and Shetland was one of the [...]

SNP MSP for the isles, Emma Roddick, has welcomed the news that the Scottish Government has confirmed the introduction of a procurement process for two new 140m Freight Flex vessels for the Northern Isles route. In response to a question from Emma Roddick, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport confirmed today that these vessels will replace [...]

Emma Roddick MSP has condemned the UK Labour Government for continuing to inflict Westminster’s austerity agenda on Scottish families, as new figures revealed that the SNP Scottish Government was forced to spend £245,337 in Shetland last year mitigating harmful Labour welfare policies, including the widely hated Bedroom Tax, through Discretionary Housing Payments. New figures have [...]

Isles MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed new statistics showing the success of the SNP’s Carer Support Payment. More than £89.5 million has now been issued in vital financial support to carers throughout Scotland since it was piloted in November 2023, and this has reached people across the country. The Carer Support Payment replaces Carer’s Allowance for [...]

Additional NHS investment from the SNP Scottish Government is reducing waiting lists in Shetland, new figures can reveal.   The figures show a 35.5% drop in ophthalmology waiting times in NHS Shetland between April and September 2024.   This improvement in waiting times was made possible by increased SNP investment in the health service – an additional £30 million [...]

Emma Roddick MSP for the Highlands and Islands region today welcomed the Scottish Government’s confirmation that 100% rates relief for hospitality businesses in the islands, including Orkney and Shetland, will continue. Ms Roddick has been a strong advocate for this relief, recognising the vital role that hospitality plays in the island economies. Ms Roddick emphasised [...]

SNP MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement of flexible grants to drive efficiency, protect nature, and support climate-friendly farming. This means that farmers and crofters, including those in the Isles, will benefit from £20 million additional capital support this year and £26 million next year. At least £14 million will deliver a [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed new statistics which show the number of second homes and long-term empty properties has fallen across Scotland following the introduction of new measures to curb their growth. Scottish Government figures released this week show that the total number of second homes and properties that have been empty [...]

SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands Emma Roddick is urging folk living in island communities to take advantage of government support in the face of rising energy costs.  As of December 2023, the fuel poverty rate in Orkney and Shetland was 31%, significantly higher than the Scottish average of 24%. This is despite the [...]

Since the rollout of the free bus travel scheme, I have consistently argued that young islanders should be able to access the same benefits of those living on the mainland, through an expansion to inter-island ferries.  I often find myself making the point to some of my Central Belt colleagues that islanders rely on ferries [...]