2. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of Covid-19 on tourism in the Highlands and Islands. (S5O-04389)

The Scottish Government is keenly aware of the impact that the coronavirus has had on the tourism economy of the Highlands and Islands and is working extremely hard to address that.

Tourism is the lifeblood of the economy of the Highlands and Islands. My mailbox is full of contact from disgruntled tourist businesses that have for a variety of spurious reasons been denied business interruption insurance for interruption due to Covid-19. Will the cabinet secretary join my campaign to raise that injustice with the regulator, and ask insurance companies to think again?

I entirely agree with David Stewart that the response of the insurance companies has been deeply disappointing, which is why the Scottish Government has been very active on the matter. Fiona Hyslop, who is the lead cabinet secretary on the matter, and I had a conference call with the Association of British Insurers just last week. During it, I expressed my extreme displeasure about the fact that so many insurance companies seem to be denying liability on the basis that the pandemic is the “wrong sort of pandemic”. How truly pathetic.

We are campaigning on the matter and will work alongside David Stewart.

This is the first opportunity that I have had since Mr Stewart announced his planned retiral to say what a pleasure it has been, and will continue to be, to work alongside him in representing people in the Highlands of Scotland.

What consultation is planned of island authorities and communities on lifting of restrictions on ferry and air travel ahead of the possible opening of the tourism market on 15 July?

Ferry travel has never more been more important than it is now. My colleagues Paul Wheelhouse and Michael Matheson, who are the lead ministers on the matter, are in regular contact with the islands authorities, as am I. We work together to make sure that residents and visitors view Orkney as a premier tourism destination, which, as I know from a recent holiday that my family had there, will continue to be paramount.