The UK Government has added to the uncertainty felt by Scottish farmers over Brexit today, after the Scottish Government’s rural economy secretary made a statement to the Scottish Parliament making it clear that he has received no confirmation from the UK Government that funding to replace EU financial support will continue at the same level after the 2019/20 round of payments.

Despite a promise from the Scottish Government’s transport secretary to notify the Scottish Parliament if there were any additional cost over and above the ‘fixed price contract’ for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, the Scottish Taxpayer received a surprise bill for £64 million on Christmas Eve. All while MSPs were on parliamentary recess.

The Scottish Government has, today, backed down from its 2016 election promise to deliver superfast broadband to every home in Scotland by 2021, admitting that the commitment will not be delivered until well into the next Parliament.

Under cash strapped NHS Grampian, only 79.7% of cancer patients received treatment within the Scottish Government’s 62 day deadline, during the third quarter of 2019.

In a session of questions and answers in the Scottish Parliament this morning, North East MSP Mike Rumbles called on the Scottish Government to make it a priority for the R100 programme to provide superfast broadband for homes in Aberdeenshire and allow the region to catch-up with levels of access seen elsewhere in Scotland.  

Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the rural economy Mike Rumbles has refused to support Brexit legislation on transport that must be passed by the Scottish Parliament as a consequence of the UK Government’s EU Withdrawal Act.   

Residents living in Aberdeenshire are less likely to have access to superfast broadband than almost anywhere else on the Scottish mainland, according to figures provided by the Scottish Government to Mike Rumbles MSP and the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee this morning.

Rail passengers heading to the North East have faced severe disruption today, after a lengthy breakdown of the Caledonian Sleeper train due to engine failure between Montrose and Arbroath.

Waiting times in Accident and Emergency facilities across NHS Grampian hit an eight month low this week, with only 88.2% of patients being seen within the 4 hour deadline. The cash strapped local health board has not reached the 95% target in any week since 22^nd July 2018.

In a session of question and answers in the Scottish Parliament today, North East Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles grilled the Scottish Government’s Health Secretary about a decade of underfunding that has left the local health board with some of the worst waiting times in Scotland.