Celebrating a national milestone
With interest building up to the crowning of King Charles III alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort, in Westminster Abbey, I’m delighted to see how many special community events are taking place across the constituency.
Groups and individuals are planning to mark this important national milestone with colourful celebrations during a memorable long weekend, May 6 to 8, in the towns, villages and even the remotest parts of south-west Scotland.
From a Big Lunch Party at Whithorn to a special picnic at Gatehouse and a lively programme, including a ceilidh, in Wigtown to a concert by Creetown Silver Band at the Quarrymen’s Arts Centre, there will be plenty to see and do.
Meanwhile, it seems only fitting that there will be plenty going on all next week at the aptly named Coronation Day Centre in Stranraer where manager Alisin Boland and her team have organised a week of events, culminating on Friday with a ‘red, white and blue’ party for members, not least featuring entertainment from the town’s ‘singing firefighter’ Tony Reid.
In my role of Secretary of State, my formal duties will include attending a special service at the Church of Scotland at Crown Court, London; a Parliamentary reception at Westminster; the King’s reception for overseas representatives at Buckingham Palace; the Coronation itself at Westminster Abbey and a special concert at Windsor Castle.
I’m equally grateful for an invitation from Alisin to visit the Coronation Day Centre in the near future when I look forward to sharing my first-hand observations of the London ceremonies with members in what is a building where Princess Alexandra performed the official opening after an extension was completed in 1987.
Focus rightly on A75 and A77
It was encouraging to read the constructive tone of a letter of reply I received from the Scottish Government’s new transport Minister on taking forward improvement opportunities for the vital A75 and A77 trunk routes through south-west Scotland.
In my recent letter I congratulated Kevin Stewart on his appointment at Holyrood to the transport portfolio in First Minister Humza Yousaf’s devolved SNP-Green administration and my hope is we can build on existing contacts between the UK and Scottish Governments to take forward improvement projects.
Strengthening the case for progress was the publication of a comprehensive report commissioned by Dumfries and Galloway Council and partner local authorities in Ayrshire and Northern Ireland, which detailed the economic imperative to improve the twin routes which carry local traffic together with passenger and heavy freight to and from the Cairnryan ferry ports.
In addition to the latest study, the UK Government’s earlier Union Connectivity Review previously highlighted the fact that the A75’s strategic importance on the national roads network merited the route being a priority when future projects are decided.
My constituents have waited far too long for the A75 and A77 to be improved and I was delighted that in last year’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced development funding availability for options to improve the A75, pending a business case from the Scottish Government which has devolved responsibility for transport.
In his reply, Mr Stewart outlined work that the Scottish Government had previously done to identify strategic transport investment priorities for Scotland, culminating in the publication of a second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) last December.
Mr Stewart wrote: “This could include, but is not limited to, enhancing overtaking opportunities, widening or realigning carriageways and improving junctions.
”I am pleased that both Scottish and UK Governments agree that investment is needed on the A75 to improve safety and reliability, ensuring that the main route between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is fit for purpose.”
Concluding his letter, Mr Stewart added: “My officials at Transport Scotland are continuing to work with the UK Department for Transport on the proposal to access this funding.”
From a UK Government perspective, I have long been clear that the best way to improve the A75, a road I travel frequently, is for the Scottish Government to work with Westminster. I am glad the new Holyrood administration appears to have moved away from previous resistance to joining forces.
I’m also pleased to see local councillors, businesses and the long-established A77 Campaign Group, which has held a meeting to consider the latest developments, are all rightfully keeping the case for upgrades on both the main trunk roads serving Stranraer and Cairnryan in the public eye and on the agenda at both Holyrood and Westminster.
Recycle plan must improve
I know from businesses in Wigtownshire and across the constituency how concerned they were by the extra cost and time involved had an early introduction of the Scottish Government’s Deposit Return Scheme for single-use bottles proceeded.
There was a lack of clarity about the proposals and particular worries for producers and traders in our region where cross-border travel to other parts of the UK is daily for many and worries remained about the affordability of facilitating the necessary equipment and storage.
A rush to be different from the rest of the UK, as one constituent described the pace of the introduction, could have triggered unintended consequences, particularly detrimental to some Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders businesses and consumers.
That’s why I welcome new First Minister Humza Yousaf’s recent announcement that he will pause the Scottish Government’s scheme until March next year whilst acknowledging the change has not been granted an exemption to the UK Internal Market Act.
The proposed system would have added 20p to the price of single-use drink containers in Scotland, which would be refunded on return to sellers of such products.
Unfortunately and significantly, on top of that would be the added cost of operating the scheme which would have to be passed on to customers.
One example I have been given is a 12-bottle pack of discount supermarket mineral water which could see a price rise from £1.59 to £5.19, meaning only £2.40 would be reclaimable by the consumer.
We now have an opportunity to work together on solutions which deliver for consumers and businesses across the UK, helping to realise a shared ambition in all four home nations to improve the environment by increasing recycling and reducing litter.
There are clearly certain areas of legislation that are better done together across the UK.
Learning lessons from test
Technology has come a long way since my youth when Civil Defence, Royal Observer Corps and local fire stations used landlines and sirens to help alert their volunteers or wider public of an incident or potential danger.
That came to mind when I was being briefed about last Sunday’s test when many with mobile phones across the UK received a danger alert message on their home screen along with a sound and vibration for 10 seconds.
The test did exactly what it should have done by checking the system and, with various issues coming to light, the experts can now refine the system so it can be improved in the event of any future emergency.
This system is a prudent investment, which hopefully is only rarely used, but I believe it is important that it remains fully tested and available.
I’m keen though to confirm that adequate warning plans are in place for the equally important part of the population, who, for whatever reason, may not carry a mobile phone or have access to a satisfactory signal.
Litter bugs must change ways
As i've mentioned on this page in the past the problem of litter and fly-tipping in Dumfries and Galloway, and in some other parts off the country, appears to have become even worse in recent times.
That’s why during the Keep Scotland Beautiful and Keep Britain Tidy month-long spring clean campaign it was fantastic to see the efforts of volunteer litter-picking groups in sprucing up some of the region’s beauty spots, shorelines and roadsides.
Several litter-pickers tell me they are particularly grateful for the help of Dumfries and Galloway Council, who were supportive and collected the bagged waste promptly after volunteer sessions.
Let’s hope those who illegally throw away rubbish and sometimes much larger items change their ways soon. Their selfishness not only tarnishes our towns and countryside and endangers wildlife but their actions can put the council and other agency workers at risk from traffic when clearing up the sides of busy roads.
Unfortunately though, the valuable time of local authority teams, roads operators and volunteers looks set to remain required for this task all year round into the foreseeable future.
Ice stars putting region on map
Following the remarkable success by local curlers in the Scotland team, which won the Men’s World Championship in Canada, I would also like to add my congratulations to the Solway Sharks ice hockey team, based in the east of the constituency at Dumfries Ice Bowl, who recently won their fourth major trophy beating Streatham Redhawks 4-0 in the National Ice Hockey League 1 championship final in Coventry.