Alasdair Allan has put housing at the top of his priorities list for the new term of the Scottish Parliament

Abigail Taylor

Last month, Alasdair Allan (SNP) was elected for a fourth term to represent the Western Isles in the Scottish Parliament.

He identified housing as the critical issue for the islands moving forward, in a discussion about the next parliamentary term with Am Pàipear.

“I think locally, one of the biggest issues, specifically in Uist, is housing,” said Dr Allan.

“If there’s going to be a thriving community in the Western Isles in the future, there has to be places to live. Important as tourism is, important as other parts of the economy are, we have to give some serious thought to where people are going to live.”

Office for National Statistics figures revealed that the Western Isles recorded the biggest increase in average house price over the last five years across the UK.

Statistics published in the UK House Price Index (February 2021) reveal that the average price of a house in the Outer Hebrides in February 2016 was £87,494 and that figure had risen to £132,397 in February 2021, representing an increase of 51.32%.

“There has already been serious investment in the islands from the government in affordable rented housing, although I do have questions about how little has been built outside of the Stornoway area,” continued Dr Allan.

“We have to look at the issues that people in Uist are raising about whether people are going to be able to buy a house. There are holiday homes and second homes in every part of the islands and the question is, is it sustainable?”

Depopulation remains a challenge for the islands and housing can help with its reversal, insists the newly re-elected MSP.

“It’s a significant issue if we want to have schools full with children and lights on in the community. We need to think where we build houses and move away from the idea of only building affordable housing where there has been demonstrated demand. By definition, if there aren’t more socially affordable houses in an area, there will be no record of demand for houses that don’t exist. We have to think much more imaginatively about the future of this problem.”

COVID-19 recovery was underlined as a priority for the SNP throughout the election campaign and this must come first says Dr Allan.

“The conversation now is about what the first 100 days of this parliament will look like in terms of national priorities for childcare, housing and the SNP also stood on a manifesto of allowing the Scottish people to choose independence. But at the moment nationally and especially on the islands we are focusing on moving out of the pandemic.”

Foodbank use soared through the pandemic as the economic downturn was heavily felt in the Western Isles.

458 adults received support from Uist and Barra Foodbank in 2020, more than double the number, 221, recorded in 2019. In the same period the number of children receiving support increased more than 80 percent, rising from 80 in 2019 to 145 in 2020. 167 food parcels were issued from Uist and Barra Foodbank in 2019 and this number also went up more than 80 percent, to 308, in 2020.

“It’s particularly difficult in a place like the Western Isles where people are really reluctant to advertise the fact that they’re in need,” commented Dr Allan.

“It goes beyond COVID-19. I believe it goes back to changes in the benefits system, some of which happened due to the pandemic, of course, but the fact that small businesses and people are struggling to get on their feet is worrying.

“It will hopefully improve now that the economy is opening up and people can start to get back to normal but it will take time. It’ll be a while before we can overcome the real hardship issues that have been brought to light in this past year.

“I think all I can really offer is to push these issues in parliament again. It’s a big task to represent such different communities and the islands all have different needs. Part of the job is about recognising the different needs across the area, and explaining that to the government as well.”