Dave Thompson MSP

As avid readers of the Chatterbox will be aware, in December I initiated and distributed a survey to around 14,000 households in my constituency to canvas their views on the unfair 2p electricity surcharge currently applied to residents in the Highlands and Islands and whether they think electricity production and supply should be brought back into public ownership.

We received over 1700 returns and I very recently released a report on the findings. The results have shown that there is overwhelming support for taking electricity production and supply in Scotland back into public ownership and that there should be no energy surcharge applied on the basis of remoteness.

The contentious issue of the 2p energy surcharge applied to the Highlands galvanised Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch to reject it to the tune of 95.2% respondents and of the 1,711 replies received - 98.7% stated that electricity production and supply should be brought back into public ownership.

This is a fascinating response and one that shows folk will only put up with big company profiteering for so long, and no doubt their belief is backed up by the unfair 2p energy surcharge currently applied to the energy rich north, which remains nothing short of scandalous.

I have written to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Cabinet Finance Secretary, John Swinney, the UK Secretary of State for Energy, Ed Davey, the Scottish Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, to get their comments on these significant findings.

In conjunction with the Scottish Government, I have been working long and hard on improving road safety on the A9, which is why I welcome the publication of performance data which shows the A9 average speed camera safety scheme has been successful in improving driver behaviour, which I had confirmed by the Scottish Government in response to a question I raised in the Parliament on the matter.

The recent findings are encouraging as the data not only reveals that instances of speeding are significantly down, but that journey time reliability has also improved, not only from cars but from HGV’s too.

Slower HGV journey times and the resultant knock on effect on the economy was an oft cited reason by critics who opposed A9 Average Camera Scheme, logic which now comes unstuck under the scrutiny of cold hard facts, as it is revealed that HGV journey times have actually improved on the road.

I hope that Danny Alexander will now stop the incredulous political point scoring over the installation of the average speed cameras on the A9, and accept the genuine attempts of the Scottish Government to improve road safety and reduce journey times on the A9 have been vindicated.

And, of course, dualling is about to start on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section and the whole road from Perth to Inverness will be completed by 2015 at the latest.

It was an honour to address the Deep Impact Conference recently in Aviemore, as over 300 youth workers from all over Scotland descended on the Highlands, for a massive youth work conference.

Deep Impact, Scotland’s National Youth Work training conference is run by the Evangelical Alliance and some of Scotland’s most respected Christian youth work agencies, which brought together a vast array of voluntary and paid workers.

I was privileged to get the chance to speak at the conference in Aviemore, which I used as an opportunity to argue that it is important for Christians to engage in politics, as well as thanking them for their invaluable contribution to society.

It was delightful to meet so many inspiring young folk who give up so much of their time to help others in our communities and to be able to highlight the invaluable contribution that church youth work contributes to society.

I would like to reiterate the plea that I gave during my speech at conference, which is that Christians should be encouraged to take up the challenge of politics by putting their head above the parapet and getting involved.

News that the Scottish Government’s deal to ensure that concessionary bus travel will continue in coming years is hugely significant, as thousands of older and disabled people in the Highlands are benefiting from the scheme.

Concessionary bus travel gives people who might otherwise be restricted a greater sense of independence and helps them remain in contact with their friends and family. The Scottish Government has increased funding for the scheme every year since its introduction, which helps older people, disabled people, and injured armed services veterans too, resulting in almost 147 million journeys last year, which is why it is vital that the scheme continues.

I was genuinely disappointed, if a little unsurprised, to see Charles Kennedy vote with the Tories at Westminster to impose a further £30 billion worth of cuts on our most vulnerable when it should be the job of elected representatives to protect the most vulnerable. The Liberal Democrats, rather than being in coalition with the Tories, have become Tories, and for that they will pay a heavy price electorally.

It is important to vote SNP on May 7 at the Westminster Elections so we can stand up for our most vulnerable in our society and stand up for Scotland to ensure that the promised powers are delivered to Scotland, and delivered in full.