HEBRIDES MSP TO VISIT “SCOTLAND'S REMOTEST CONSTITUENTS” THIS WEEKEND

HEBRIDES MSP TO VISIT “SCOTLAND'S REMOTEST CONSTITUENTS” THIS WEEKEND

Western Isles SNP MSP, Alasdair Allan, will today (Friday) travel to visit his remotest constituents in St Kilda, around 40 miles west of the island of North Uist. The only people currently based on St Kilda, which was depopulated in 1930, are now National Trust for Scotland employees, who look after the island, and MoD contractors Qinetiq.

Dr Allan’s visit comes as the MoD have announced that all personnel could be removed from the St Kilda base within the next few years, which means a loss of employment in the Western Isles and raises serious questions about the future of St Kilda's ongoing conservation efforts.

Dr Allan commented:

“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity, after a lot of planning, to visit the one part of my constituency I have never managed to get to before. This must surely hold the record of the furthest flung bit of any MSP’s constituency.

“Although this trip was arranged before the recent MoD announcements of job losses and their plans to pull-out from St Kilda, it obviously takes on a new significance now.

“I hope to be able to discuss the future of QinetiQ jobs with the staff based on St Kilda, and to the hear about the many challenges now potentially facing the National Trust for Scotland as they work to keep a presence on St Kilda.”