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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;"> From </span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Alistair Carmichael</span></span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Two weeks on from the terrorist attacks which took place in Southern Israel, the losses in Israel and Gaza continue to grow. There is always pressure to “pick a side” in conflict, but as my colleague Layla Moran </span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">, it is possible to recognise and care for the loss of innocent lives wherever they happen – we cannot afford to let one harm to innocents justify another.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Closer to home and between Storm Babet and a raft of issues relating to fishing and coastguard proposals, safety at sea has been high on the agenda in Parliament – as you will see below.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Raising the Antonio Maria case with the Fisheries Minister</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Many in the isles will have seen the video posted on social media of the incident between the Antonio Maria and the Defiant in the waters off Shetland. I pushed the </span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;"> to explain what the government will do in response. The footage is shocking enough, but the real scandal is that this is not the first time it has happened.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">I am glad that the minister was at least aware of the incident and will take it up with his colleagues but until we find a better way to bring consequences to those who act recklessly at sea this will keep on happening. The MCA has washed its hands of the matter as it is in the Exclusive Economic Zone rather than territorial waters – that is just not good enough.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">If direct enforcement is not possible outside of our territorial waters then the government needs to look at indirect methods. Other countries manage to stop this aggressive behaviour. It cannot be beyond the wit of man for our own government to do the same.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Calling for a parliamentary statement on coastguard helicopter</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Reports last week indicated that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is considering proposals to increase the response time for the coastguard helicopter based at Sumburgh from 15 minutes to 1 hour – a four-fold increase. These changes pose a serious concern for safety at sea. I have written to the Secretary of State for Transport and await his response – something I </span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">noted to the Leader of the House in Business Questions on Thursday</span></span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">The MCA has said that discussions are “ongoing”. As far as I am aware, these “ongoing” discussions are not going on with islanders themselves. You might think that we had an interest in the matter!</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">The coastguard helicopter is a highly valued resource for islanders – particularly fishermen and workers in the energy industry – for safety at sea. With autumn storms drawing in it is a reminder of just how important these services are. One way or another we need answers – I shall be following this matter up again in the coming days.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Impossible MCA advice putting Harbour Masters at legal risk</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">I have spoken before about the challenges faced by fishermen as a result of stringent new medical certificate requirements from the government. Not content with giving a headache to those at sea, the MCA has now also put Harbour Masters in hot water. They have given written advice to fishermen to ask local Harbour Masters to act in lieu of an employer and sign these medical applications – but did not inform the Harbour Masters themselves.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">What is proposed here is to turn the problems of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency into the problems of Harbour Masters. Shifting the problem is not the same as solving it.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">I cannot think of any reason why any Harbour Master would put themselves in that position. It is impossible to see how they would be protected in terms of liability. If I were a Harbour Master I would be seeking independent legal advice as a matter of urgency.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">We need root and branch reform in how the MCA and other marine agencies operate. They are supposed to have a responsibility to the people and businesses they work into – somewhere along the line they seem to have lost sight of that.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Renewing the call for a 1-gigawatt tidal stream energy target</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Thursday also saw a new debate on the Contracts for Difference scheme which aims to promote the development of upcoming renewables projects. The Northern Isles have a deep interest in this scheme, as we play host not just to the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, but to a number of tidal power projects which have gained funding support. The decision to include in AR4 a ringfenced pot of £20 million for tidal stream energy generation was absolutely transformative for the industry.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">I took the opportunity in the debate to put it to the minister that tidal power is now the only renewable technology that does not yet have a gigawatt target. Setting a 1-gigawatt target for the rollout of tidal energy would be a boon for the isles and for the wider country. The minister would not give a commitment but I sense there may be movement on this matter in the months to come – watch this space.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Digital Forum returns</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">And finally – this week sees the </span></span><span
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;"> return to Orkney with myself and Liam McArthur MSP, from 12-2pm on Friday at the St Magnus Centre. We’ll be hearing from representatives of Openreach, Scottish Government, O2 and OIC, who will be providing updates on the rollout of digital connectivity to the isles. All are welcome to join, including online – if possible let our offices know via our MP or MSP emails!</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">For those in Shetland, details are still being finalised but we expect the Digital Forum to be held on the 17th of November – more to follow.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">As ever, if there are any issues that you would like to raise with me, please do not hesitate to get in touch - and for specific casework matters you can contact me at <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:alistair.carmichael.mp@parliament.uk">alistair.carmichael.mp@parliament.uk</a>.</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Yours ever,</span></span></div></div>
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style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important; font-family: inherit;">Alistair Carmichael</span></span></div></div>
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