New fishing minister

One little reported item of news on the government reshuffle which is perhaps more important to the islanders than the promotion of their MP to the cabinet is the announcement that the UK fishing minister Richard Benyon has been replaced by Cornish Tory MP George Eustice. (Carmichael promoted to become Scottish secretary; SN, 07/10/13)

The significance of fishing to the Shetland and Orkney is far more likely to be affected by the choice of fishing minister than Scottish secretary, unless of course he manages to get the UK Government to pay off Shetland’s £40 million oil housing debt.

John Jamieson
South Queensferry