It is an enormous privilege to be delivering my maiden speech in the chamber. As is customary on occasions such as this, I pay tribute to my predecessor, the Rt Hon Alex Fergusson, but first I am sure that all members would like to join me in congratulating him on receiving a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours list. [

Applause

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Alex Fergusson was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and served with distinction for 17 years, most recently as the MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries. Four of those years were spent as the Presiding Officer of this Parliament, and Alex was immensely proud when his fellow MSPs elected him to that role. I wish Alex and Merryn a long and happy retirement.

There can be no greater honour for a Gallovidian than to be given the opportunity to represent the place that I call home and the place where I have lived and worked all my life. I thank the voters of Galloway and West Dumfries who placed their trust in me and gave me this opportunity.

As one of the last newbie MSPs—if not the last—to speak, I can have the last word and tell members that my Constituency is the most beautiful of all. Galloway and the Solway coast are often referred to as the Scottish riviera and stretch from Scotland’s most southerly point at the Mull of Galloway to the winding River Nith in the east. The area is as big as it is diverse. In the heart of the constituency lies Britain’s largest forest park, which offers spectacular views and encompasses the UK’s first dark skies project, where the inky black skies allow one to explore a world far beyond our own.

The Solway coast is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, with its rugged coastline, sandy beaches and hidden coves. If ever there was an area of Scotland crying out for national park status, this is it.

“Land o’ darkly rollin’ Dee,

Land o’ silvery windin’ Cree,

Kissed by Solway’s foamy sea,

Bonnie Gallowa’.”

In Bonnie Gallowa’ there is something for everyone. Whether it be on a visit to Loch Ryan, the home of the only wild native oyster beds left in the UK—I am looking forward to supporting its first oyster festival—to Laggan Outdoor, which boasts one of Europe’s longest zip wires, or to one of the many historic abbeys and castles across the region, one is sure to be in awe of the natural beauty, hidden gems and historical importance of this great but often forgotten corner of Scotland.

Apart from being home to many rural communities, such as my home village of Twynholm, my constituency can boast of being home to Scotland’s national book town, in Wigtown, and our artists’ town, in Kirkcudbright, which I hope will soon have an art gallery of national significance that will contain our Viking hoard, which is of international importance.

Our small independent retailers in Castle Douglas punch well above their weight and buck the trend when it comes to high street decline, promoting the vibrant food and drink sector that exists in Dumfries and Galloway. Castle Douglas will soon host the tour of Britain for the third time—a record surpassed only by London.

I turn to the debate in hand. As we have heard today, the Scottish economy faces a number of challenges. The backbone of our economy in Galloway is small and medium-sized businesses. Their social impact on the wellbeing of local communities must never be underplayed. Those businesses require different levels and kinds of support, not a one-size-fits-all approach. That is why the Scottish Conservatives have called for a south of Scotland enterprise company, similar in form to Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which has a social as well as an economic remit. Such an organisation would work with businesses, third-sector organisations and local communities to identify the many problems that are unique to the south of Scotland and to come up with tailored solutions to help drive the economy forward, support existing businesses, upskill our local workforce, create new jobs and improve people’s way of life. That is something that should be welcomed across the political spectrum and I encourage the Scottish Government to look at the proposal seriously.

Of all the issues raised with me, internet connectivity is currently the most pressing and important. For businesses to thrive, they need access to high-speed broadband and a reliable mobile phone network. In 2016, it is simply unacceptable that some communities in Galloway still do not have a mobile phone signal and experience limited access to low-speed broadband, never mind high speeds.

Given transport’s strategic importance, there are questions about why the A75, which is a vital Euro route that links Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK, has still not been dualled. Although some progress has been made, it is imperative that the next steps include a bypass for Springholm and Crocketford.

I turn to Stranraer where, only last week, a number of constituents were made redundant. That is maybe not significant on a national level, but it is very significant on a rural level. The transition training fund, which members have mentioned, gives employees in the oil and gas sector the opportunity to retrain as teachers with employment guarantees. I call on the Scottish Government to offer my constituents the same level of assistance through tailored targeted support. Such schemes should not be limited to one sector or region.

I call for an enterprise zone for Stranraer with preferential business rates, accelerated planning and processes to pump prime and kick start a town that has huge potential. Since the relocation of ferry services from Stranraer to Cairnryan in 2011, the town has been crying out for support from the Government and has too often been let down. During the election, the Deputy First Minister visited and pledged £6 million for the regeneration of the east pier. I trust that those are not empty words and I hope that we will see the benefit of that money in the near future.

The problems in Dumfries and Galloway are not unique but they are compounded by the realities of living and working in a rural region of Scotland. I am ambitious for the people of Galloway and West Dumfries because we Gallovidians always are, but we need the support that we deserve to turn those ambitions into reality. [

Applause

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