Almost all island businesses are reporting that disruption to ferry services to every port in the Islands has affected their success over the past 12 months, the Scottish Parliament has been told. 

And the islands Scottish Labour MSP Donald MacKinnon has used the inaugural backbench First Minister’s Questions to ask John Swinney when the Island Business Resilience Fund will be relaunched and if the First Minister will consider opening it to all affected businesses.

Mr MacKinnon’s question came as Visit Outer Hebrides published the output of a recent survey of island businesses revealing that 96% of businesses responding had encountered problems as a result of ferry disruption in the past year.

Mr MacKinnon said “Last week the First Minister told us that amplification of these issues is damaging island communities – what is in fact damaging island communities is his government’s failure to deliver an adequate ferry service.”

During the election campaign the SNP pledged £10 million for the Island Business Resilience Fund.

Mr MacKinnon added “Businesses are still suffering from disruption earlier this year and continued problems. Support is desperately need and the government must act quickly to get the money out the door and into the back accounts of the businesses that need it.

“Today John Swinney failed to give a clear answer on when the fund will open and who will be eligible to apply, I will keep pushing the Scottish Government for the action island businesses need.”