SNP blast Tories' fisheries group claim
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THE SNP have hit back at Tory claims that no Scottish Government ministers had joined meetings of the recently-established Seafood Taskforce.
Mark Findlater, the Conservative candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, had stated that "SNP ministers were also invited to join the seafood taskforce, but so far have failed to do so" (issue March 2, 'Clueless' Tories blasted over fishing).
However, SNP candidate for the constituency Karen Adam said that Fergus Ewing MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, had attended both the group's meetings and called on Mr Findlater to apologise.
The group is chaired by Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid, who is also a Scottish Office minister.
Ms Adam said: “The SNP government originally pressed alongside industry for the ministerial taskforce and were pleased when the UK Government agreed to this.
“Contrary to what the Conservative candidate claims, Fergus Ewing has attended both meetings held to date and participated fully.
“The Conservative candidate needs to apologise. He is either deliberately trying to harm the reputation of the Scottish Fisheries Minister or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
"His own Tory colleagues sat in the taskforce meeting with Fergus Ewing. So, to suggest otherwise is just mendacious.
“It should also be remembered that the Scottish Government got on and delivered its own support scheme because people couldn’t wait for the UK government to make up its mind on what it would do – it originally drew the criteria to qualify for its £23 million scheme so narrowly that very few of those affected qualified.”
