John Swinney faces more calls to scrap primary one tests
Education Secretary John Swinney is facing fresh calls to scrap primary one tests after a damning Holyrood report into the controversial assessments.
Tavish Scott
Tavish Scott hits out at rising water bills for village halls
Community halls in Shetland have been threatened by this month’s rising water bills, according to MSP Tavish Scott.
Calls for public inquiry into helicopter safety on Super Puma crash anniversary
SNP ministers yesterday faced renewed calls to back a public inquiry into helicopter safety in advance of the 10th anniversary of the SuperPuma crash off Peterhead.
Nicola Sturgeon says it is ‘shameful’ that French firefighters have to apply to stay on Fair Isle
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday said it was “shameful” that three part-time Fair Isle firefighters from France have had to apply to stay on the island because of Brexit.
Public Finance Minister Kate Forbes signals Shetland could use bond finance for inter-island links
Public Finance Minister Kate Forbes has signalled that Shetland Islands Council could use bond finance to pay for bridges or tunnels between islands in the archipelago.
Michael Matheson extends Air Discount Scheme for remote areas
A scheme for cheaper flights to and from Scotland’s remote areas has been renewed and extended.
Top-level talks as case for £200m Islands Deal progresses
Top-level talks have taken place at Holyrood as the case for an ambitious multi-million-pound investment in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles took another step forward.
Workload adding to teachers’ struggle with mental health
Exhausted and overworked teachers are struggling more and more with stress, a survey has revealed.
Almost 33,000 school staff days lost in north and north-east for mental health reasons
Almost 33,000 school staff days were lost in the north and north-east in 2017/18 as teachers struggled with mental health, new figures have revealed.
Michael Matheson declines to give HIAL management vote of confidence
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson yesterday declined to say that he had confidence in Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) management when challenged over its performance yesterday.
Scotland benefits agency attacked for excluding the islands in new logo
The logo for Scotland’s new benefits agency, which is supposed to based on the Scottish map, has been attacked for failing to include the islands.
Shetland dog owners criticise Loganair’s pet price hike
Shetland dog owners have criticised a move by airline Loganair to increase the cost of taking a pet on flights from £10 to £50 without warning.
Call for inquiry into 2013 Shetland helicopter crash
A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into a helicopter crash that claimed four lives in 2013 should be held “without any further delay”, an MSP has said.
North-east teacher vacancy advertised six times… Only two applications sent in
A secondary school has advertised six times for an English teacher in the last six months, prompting fresh claims the government is presiding over a “crisis” in education.
North teaching crisis deepens: Almost 900 jobs had to be re-advertised
Nearly 900 teaching jobs in the north of Scotland have had to be re-advertised since 2014.
Ferry fares reduction still does not go far enough, says MSP
A row over ferry fares has blown up again after Shetland MSP Tavish Scott said the proposed reductions to “exorbitant” prices should go further.
Calls for joint emergency service control room for Shetland
The Scottish Government has been urged to consider a joint emergency service control room covering all Shetland's blue light services.
‘Saving money by forcing people on a 14-hour ferry instead of a quick flight to Aberdeen not acceptable’
An MSP has insisted that funding must increase for NHS Shetland rather than making cuts to patients' travel.
Swinney pledges to prioritise maintaining teacher numbers in councils pitch
Education Secretary John Swinney said maintaining teacher numbers and pupil-teacher ratios would be a priority as he unveiled five pledges for SNP councils today.
Scottish Government accused of “ducking responsibility” on HIE
A north MSP has accused the Scottish Government of "ducking responsibility" after they refused to release ministerial correspondence about Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Lib Dems call for review of teacher training scheme
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a review of a Scottish Government scheme aimed at helping oil and gas workers retrain as teachers.
Tavish Scott: Has the SNP learned nothing from the botched centralisation of Scotland’s police forces?
A defeat in Parliamentary is a true test of any government.
Row continues over future of HIE board
Northern Isles Liberal Democrats have branded SNP efforts to settle the bitter row over the scrapping of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise board as a "panicked attempt to save face".
Scottish Government admits it can’t name a single body that supports HIE changes
The Scottish Government has admitted it cannot provide a list of organisations that support the controversial scrapping of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) board.
Opposition say “chronic shortage” of teachers is responsible for low standards in the north
Opposition politicians have blamed the dire state of education in the north of Scotland on a "chronic shortage" of teachers.
Tavish Scott: Fish talks in Brussels a ‘charade’
Tavish Scott gives his views on the Brussels fishing charade.
How Keith Brown danced around Tavish Scott: A blow by blow account
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Tavish Scott: "Could you furnish the committee - I don't expect today, but in writing - with a specific list of all the organisations and individuals who said that a central board was the right solution?"
Tavish Scott: Why I’m supporting the P&J’s campaign to Keep HIE Local
Tavish Scott, Liberal Democrat MSP for Shetland, has thrown his weight behind the Press and Journal campaign.
MSP calls for taskforce to tackle Shetland area facing depopulation crisis
Shetland Island Councils has been urged to show "leadership" and form a multi-agency taskforce to tackle the declining population on Skerries.
Lib Dem MSP warns on potential cost of losing Erasmus scheme post-Brexit
A "richer student experience" could be lost because of Brexit, it has been claimed.
Wir Shetland backs Tavish Scott ahead of Scottish election
A group dedicated to winning self-governing powers for Shetland has endorsed Tavish Scott ahead of the Scottish election.
Plan to fund rural Scottish sports teams with sugar tax
A northern isles MSP has demanded cash from Chancellor George Osborne's controversial new sugar tax be used to fund transport for rural sports teams.