Ross, Skye & Lochaber

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey, © Crown copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Ross, Skye & Lochaber profile

As well as being the largest constituency in the country at 12,779 square kilometres, Ross, Skye & Lochaber must surely be among the most diverse.

From its main urban centres in Dingwall and Fort William to sizeable towns and villages like Portree, Muir of Ord, Beauly, Gairloch and Ullapool - and literally hundreds of smaller villages and townships - there is a huge variety of community, landscape and economy.

Traditional industries remain important - crofting, farming and fishing -alongside later but well-established additions like quarrying, commercial forestry and aluminium smelting.

Ever since the arrival of the railways, people have come in large numbers to visit the Highlands & Islands for our landscapes, space and wildlife.  Tourism today is bigger business than ever, with Fort William - in the shadow of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis - carving out its reputation as the Outdoor Capital of the UK.  From there the 'Road to the Isles' or its even more spectacular railway equivalent (recently made famous by its appearance in the Harry Potter films) takes visitors via  the fishing village of Mallaig to Skye, the remote Knoydart peninsula or the Small Isles.  Further north in Wester Ross, and east in glens like Stathglass and Strathconon as well as the coastal villages of the Black Isle, there is much more to be explored.

The issues

Despite the many positive aspects of life in the Highlands & Islands, our area faces significant challenges - which have often been overlooked in the past, and which need to be strongly articulated even today to decision-makers in Edinburgh and London.

Economic development remains a key issue - especially for more remote West coast and island communities, but also for the Highlands & Islands region as a whole.  Building a strong and sustainable economy is probably the single most important thing for our area's future, just as it was when Russell Johnston championed the setting up of the Highlands & Islands Development Board in the 1960s.

The challenges which are faced by businesses are faced by frontline public services like the NHS and local people too - first and foremost, the time and costs which come with long journeys, remote locations and the high price of fuel locally.

Energy issues extend beyond road transport.  The absence of mains gas from much of the area leaves people facing real difficulty with keeping homes warm in winter.  Many people rely on heating oil, LPG or solid fuel heating systems and face some of the highest bills in the UK.  The incidence of fuel povery is significantly higher than average as a result.

The need to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty falls partly on providers of social housing - but they also face a struggle to tackle some of the most pressing housing needs in Scotland.  Small communities in areas of high demand for second homes face some of the most desperate needs, but also construction costs which are increasingly being threatened by the public sector spending squeeze.

Improving infrastructure - from upgrading the A82 to enhancing rail services and securing early implementation of high speed broadband services - is a major ongoing priority.
 

General Election result - 6th May 2010

	Vote	%	Change
Charles Kennedy	18335	52.6%	-6.1%
Labour	5265	15.1%	+0.2%
SNP	5263	15.1%	+5.5%
Conservative	4260	12.2%	+2.2%
Green	777	2.2%	-1.1%
UKIP	659	1.9%	+0.4%
Independent	279	0.8%	N/A
Total	34838
Turnout		67.2%	+2.6%

General Election result - 5th May 2005