Dè tha dol | Monthly round up - September 2026
Welcome to my monthly round up of my work both in parliament and in the constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
IN THE CONSTITUENCY:
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Housing Seminar - Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures
On the 15th of September, I attended the housing seminar organised by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to recognise Scottish Housing Day - this year's theme was Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures.
This guided discussions on the link between safe and warm housing and positive health outcomes. It is vital that not only do we have the quantity of housing our islands require, but also the quality.
My own housing survey that I conducted over the summer with Donald MacKinnon MSP has now ended, and we are in the process of collating this data and will share it as soon as we can.
Stornoway Surgeries
I held a number of surgeries in September in Stornoway. These were a mix of in-person and phone calls.
If you are unable to visit the office or attend any of my surgeries across the islands, please know we will do all we can to accommodate including offering phone call or Teams appointments. Get in touch to book an appointment.
Uist & Barra Community Halls Event
On a wild, blustery day on the 19th September, I hosted a Community Hall Ceilidh at Cnoc Soilleir in South Uist. This was following on from a similar event held last November for Lewis and Harris halls.
We all know how many halls we have in our islands, and what a vital role they play in our communities. But it is also true that they face a number of challenges and the purpose of these events is to get committees into one room to share their problems and to learn from the successes of others.
I would like to extend a huge thanks to our speakers: Uist Council of Voluntary Organisations, Community Led Local Development (LAG & YLAG) and Community Energy Scotland.
We had some very constructive discussions and received great feedback from the event.
See the full press release below.
Berneray Business Visits
While in Uist this month I visited Abigail, Ruairidh, and Eilidh. They are owners of businesses in Berneray who have been directly impacted by the ferry disruption on the Sound of Harris route.
Abigail and Ruairidh who run Berneray Shop and Bistro lost £21,000 in the last ten weeks since the Sound of Harris car ferry was withdrawn.
Eilidh Carr of Coralbox Gift Shop at the pier is counting the cost of the MV Loch Portain ferry breakdown and the replacement services which bypasses Leverburgh and Berneray.
These businesses need direct support from the Scottish Government’s business resilience fund right now. Abigail faces paying wages at the shop from her savings.
I highlighted these cases to Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn SNP again and called for the Minister to make sure there are direct, pro-active official contact with island businesses to help them access funds.
O'Mac Visit to Melbost West Development
It was great to see the work happening at the 'Melbost West' development outside stornoway with Mark MacDonald of O'Mac Construction. The 85-strong workforce are moving at pace in the 73-house development.
The company is due to hand over 53 units of the 73-house development to Scottish & Southern Electricity in 2028 to house workers on the subsea cable and Arnish substation.
Afterwards the accommodation reverts to the social housing provider, HHP, for local use.
We’re used to public-private partnerships but this is community-private partnership which will be a major local legacy of the shift to renewables.
Cadet Visit
Ahead of National Cadet Week on the 5th of October, I visited the Benbecula Detachment, Western Isles Company, 1st Battalion The Highlanders ACF.
It was a privilege to meet the unit on their training weekend in Benbecula and an honour to have them as the uniofrmed representatives at the St Valery commemoration earlier this summer.
I look forward to visiting again and hopefully meeting over Remembrance weekend.
IN PARLIAMENT:
Assisted Dying Bill
One of the biggest events in Parliament this month was the vote on the Assisted Dying Bill.
I joined MPs who have voted against the second reading of the Assisted Dying Bill.
This is a relief to me and I know to many constituents and I want to thank you to everyone who has written in on this issue. It shows how improtant engaging with politics and politicians is.
Now we must work towards what is a key priority of Prime Minister Andy Burnham - to build a cross-party consensus around social and palliative care so everyone has dignity in death.
Commitment from PM to community energy priority
On Andy Burnham's first session in the Commons as Prime Minister, I got assurances from him as he backed island calls for community energy companies to be given priority access to the national grid.
I also invited the new Prime Minister to visit the Western Isles and see for himself the innovation in the islands with community-owned energy projects.
I’d welcome his support in getting the regulations changed so that we can put communities first onto the grid.
Raised again the importance of access to cash in rural communities
In a debate on rural banking provisions, I made the point that in the islands access to cash is felt acutely when considered as part of the wider issue of depopulation.
Housing, jobs and stability matter, but so do the basic services people rely on. I urged Ministers to recognise that Governments and banks must consider rural and remote communities when making decisions about vital services.
Met with Navantia apprentices in Westminster
At the beginning of the month I met with Navantia UK apprentices Jaan Molloy (Belfast) and Ben Moreira (Methil) in Westminster.
This came as the Arnish yard has been nominated for three national awards, including recognition for their apprentice Liam Campbell for Apprentice of the Year.
Another category they are shortlisted in is Sustainability Initiative of the Year for their agreement with Point and Sandwick Trust that three of Navantia's sites including Arnish will run 100% on energy produced by the community owned windfarm.
I wish the Arnish workforce and Liam all the best at the awards in October.
CASEWORK WINS:
Heating Oil Grant Support
With the welcome news that the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme has been extended, myself and my office continue to support constituents in the application process.
If you or someone you know is having difficulty with the application or would like support in submitting the forms, please get in touch with my office (using the details found at the bottom of this email) and we will do everything we can to help. We have already helped a number of constituents with successful applications.
Loganair Compensation
I was contacted by constituents to chase up a claim for loss of wages due to a cancelled Loganair flight. They had followed the company's procedure and submitted the details, but then had no response.
I emailed Loganair on their behalf and was able to escalate their case. They subsequently received conformation that their loss of wages would be compensated.
Marks & Spencer Delivery Issues to Harris
My office was contacted by constituents in Harris who had discovered that when they tried to place an order on the Marks & Spencer website, products became 'out of stock' and they were unable to complete the order. This appeared to be a new problem as delivery was available to other places in the islands and had been possible to Harris previously.
I wrote to M&S and they confirmed that during a system upgrade, the 'HS3' postcode had been inadvertently deleted from the system. This was promptly rectified and deliveries to Harris recommenced.
| SEPTEMBER CASEWORK UPDATE |
CUIRIBH FIOS THUGAM | GET IN TOUCH:
Should you or a family member have an issue you would like to discuss with me, please get in touch. I am here to help.
Phone: 01851 827 472
Write: 36 Kenneth Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2DR
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