Western Isles MSP welcomes decision to retain bull hire scheme

Alasdair Allan MSP

Western Isles MSP, Alasdair Allan, has today welcomed the announcement from the Scottish Government that the Bull Hire Scheme will be continuing from the Government owned stud farm in Inverness.

Early in 2009 the Government set up a Bull Hire Review Group (BHRG), which looked at the scheme and heard the views of crofters and others regarding the scheme.

The BHRG has now recommended that the scheme be carried on, as its loss would have had huge implications in the crofting communities.

The Crofting Minister Roseanna Cunningham MSP announced today that, in line with the recommendations of the review, the scheme will be continuing.

Alasdair Allan MSP commented:

“I welcome this decision; there have been question marks hanging over this scheme since 2004 and many in the crofting community will now be delighted that the scheme will be continuing.  It will be on a smaller scale, but in a streamlined form that I believe will be acceptable to the crofting community.

“We should thank the members of the Bull Hire Review Group, for the work they did in discovering from the people who actually use the scheme how they wanted it to operate in the future. I am delighted that the Minister has agreed with the BHGR recommendations, and brought the long running uncertainty about the scheme to an end.

“My colleague Angus MacNeil MP has also been in touch with Government many times on this issue and I am glad to see that our representations have paid off.  Today’s announcement is further evidence that the government is listening to the wishes of crofters.”

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