FERGUS EWING: View from Holyrood

• Proposals contained in a Scottish Government consultation paper to set up what are called ‘Highly Protected Marine Areas’ would close 10 per cent of the seas around Scotland to fishing, renewables cables or oil and gas, or almost any other commercial activity.

These proposals have caused consternation and anger amongst our fishing communities.

There is even talk of a new Highland Clearance – and campaign protest songs have already been penned.

Alongside other MSPs, I am campaigning to scrap these proposed designations and instead work far more closely with fishermen and their representatives to build on the good conservation work already being done.

About a third of our seas are already protected by existing designations which is much much more than other countries.

These designations rightly do not ban fishing but restrict it, so that it does not impact on the particular marine features that are special.

That is a rational approach.

By contrast, these proposals, pushed by the Green Party MSPs and part of the Bute House Agreement, are not based on a scrap of logic or shred of evidence: we live in a land-based national park with designation aplenty but farming is not banned here.

Whilst not a constituency issue, fishing is a vital part of our culture heritage and tradition – and the lifeblood of many of our coastal and island communities.

These plans should be dropped as quickly as possible.

• There has been widespread outrage as a man walked free after his rape of a 13 year old girl.

Sean Hogg, 21, was instead given a 270-hour community payback order. This decision, as author JK Rowling opined , sends a message to men that “The first time’s free.”.

The conviction rate for rape crime is very low as it is.

This appalling decision will further discourage women from reporting rape for fear that their assailant walks free avoiding any jail sentence.

The judge said he would have been sentenced to four or five years in jail had the rapist been over 25 years of age.

The applicable sentencing guidelines contend that the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25 so no custodial sentence is to be made. Why is it, then, that at the tender age of 16 (if the recent gender law survives legal challenge), one will be able to change gender?

These inconsistencies make a mockery of the law and prevent justice being served.

• Although I did not vote for him, nonetheless I wish Humza Yousaf our new First Minister well.

It’s a tough job and a gruelling one.

I can reveal that he did, at one point, work for me as a junior minister when I was in the cabinet.

During those years, I taught him all I knew... I just hope that it’s enough!

It will come as no surprise to Strathy readers that this week in Holyrood, the first after the Easter recess, I challenged our new First Minister to bring forward, before the summer, detailed plans for completion of the dualling of the A9.

I will also ask for details on how the upgrade will be funded and procured.

At the SNP leadership hustings held in Inverness in March, Humza Yousaf gave the very clearest of commitments – cast iron, in fact – that he will treat this as a priority.

I shall hold him to that.

Fergus Ewing (SNP) is MSP for Inverness and Nairn, including Strathspey.

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