ACTION NOT WORDS NEEDED ON SHIP-TO-SHIP

11.19.04am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th May 2007

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has expressed disappointment with the failure of the new SNP Government to bring forward specific proposals on how to block the proposed ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth.

Speaking following a statement in the Scottish Parliament by the new Rural Affairs and Environment Minister Richard Lochead MSP, Iain Smith criticised the Minister for raising the hopes of local communities that ship-to-ship transfers would be blocked, but having no new proposals about how this would happen

"The statement in effect amounted to nothing more than a reaffirmation of the action that had already been taken by the former Liberal Democrat Minister Ross Finnie, particularly to review the current legislation.

"The public had a right to expect more following the apparent deal between the SNP and the Greens, but so far all we have from the SNP is words not action," Iain Smith concluded.

ENDS