Carmichael speaks on isles depopulation risks in Parliament

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has spoken out in Parliament on the risks of depopulation in the Northern Isles. Speaking in the debate on Wednesday afternoon led by Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Torcuil Crichton, Mr Carmichael highlighted the importance of localised housing and infrastructure opportunities in maintaining populations across the isles. 

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Carmichael said:

“The critical thing to grow a population is the availability of a good mix of well-paid and varied jobs in the local economy. Fifty years later, we see opportunities for our community in the development of, for example, marine renewables, tidal power and tidal stream generation, but if we push oil and gas off a cliff before the technologies are mature enough to come on stream, people have a history and a legitimate expectation of working in good, well-paid jobs, and they will take their skills elsewhere.

“[Housing] is probably the single biggest constraint on economic growth in the Northern Isles. I had an interesting conversation recently with the chief executive of Hjaltland housing association in Shetland. He was talking about a proposal he had put to a significant contractor, which was going to employ a significant number of people for a good number of years. 

“He said, essentially, “If they pay the rent for us in advance”—this was a big corporate so it was rich enough to do it—“we will build the houses. Then, at the end of the time, the housing stock will revert to us and be available for other use in our community.” That was a brilliant idea—absolutely fantastic, not least in its simplicity. 

“I think that the corporate would be up for that, but it was not seen with favour by the Government in Edinburgh and has subsequently been discouraged. That sort of creativity—coming up with solutions to problems that are appropriate to the community—is critical if we are to halt the reverse in numbers.”

Mr Carmichael added:

“The infrastructure available for people in island communities is also essential, including digital infrastructure such as modern broadband and the availability of mobile phone coverage, given the problems that could be faced by communities such as mine when the copper wire switch-off happens for landline technologies. 

“I spoke to one woman in Yell recently who told me that she would love to go back and have her home in Yell but she has two children with medical conditions, which means that she does not want to take the risk of having to rely on a ferry journey, possibly in the middle of the night, should her children need medical attention at the hospital. 

Mr Carmichael also raised the issue of worker visas in fishing:

“Essentially, the problem is that the definition of what constitutes a skilled migrant worker is narrow and brings in skills, as with the English language test, that are not central to the jobs that those people are going to do. Will the hon. Member and others join me in encouraging the new Home Office team to have yet another look, and this time take the issues seriously?”

Responding, Mr Crichton said:

“I agree entirely with the right hon. Member. The language requirement is just one aspect of the present visa system that is unsuitable for our fishing industry, the islands, and rural economies, and which we have until now been unable to navigate around. Hopefully it will undergo a fresh review under a new Home Office team.”