Leader of Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross MP, answers our questions

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross MP, has answered our questions in advance of the Scottish Parliamentary election in May.

We have asked all political parties the same five questions. We are still awaiting a reply from the other parties; when we have them, we will of course let our members and supporters know the answers!

In the meantime, we hope you find the below of interest.

1. What are your top priorities for rural Scotland?

The Scottish Conservatives will always stand shoulder to shoulder with rural Scotland when other parties only pay lip service. The top priority for farmers right now is knowing what comes after the Common Agricultural Policy and how farm payments will be calculated and administered. The SNP Government in Edinburgh have dragged their feet for too long and broken their promise to publish a plan before the end of 2020. The Scottish Conservatives will treat this as the priority it is and recognise that farmers are the custodians of our environment.

We also need to end the central-belt bias that is all too prevalent in this SNP Government and make sure local councils in every part of Scotland get a fair share of funding. That's why the Scottish Conservatives have announced that we would award a fixed percentage of the Scottish budget to local government every year, much like how the Scottish Government receives its funding from the UK Government.

Last but not least we need to end teacher shortages in rural areas. The Scottish Conservatives would create a rural teacher fund to incentivise vacant posts to be filled in schools as part of our pledge to hire a total of 3,000 extra teachers across Scotland over the course of the next Parliament.

2. How would you, if leading the next government, work with rural communities to achieve your priorities?

I have already demonstrated as a councillor, MSP and MP that I can work with communities in my home area of Moray to get things done. I am always in close contact with groups like NFU Scotland and last year I was able to personally convey the importance of expanding the Seasonal Workers Scheme to UK Government ministers. I'm delighted that our hard work paid off for Scotland's growers and there will now be 30,000 places in 2021 – triple what it was last year.

I also believe in local decision making, so it's time for governments in Edinburgh to start listening to rural communities and stop dictating from on high. That's what guides my thinking on Scottish Conservative pledges to stop Scottish Government Ministers overturning local planning decisions, and to pass a Local Policing Act to make sure rural priorities are at the heart of what the police spend money on in your area and how often they are out on patrol.

3. What will you do to make rural Scotland more attractive as a place to live and work.

Shortly after becoming leader of the Scottish Conservatives, I said I didn't want anyone to have to move from where they grew up in order to get a good job, and I meant it. That's why the Scottish Conservatives will push for full fibre broadband in every home and business by 2027, prioritising rural areas, not cities. It's also why infrastructure is high up on my agenda. I want to reopen railway lines and stations which fell victim to the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, and upgrade vital trunk roads quicker than the SNP who are dragging their feet.

I also want to give people the skills they need to get on and rebuild the economy as we recover from COVID-19 – that's why I've announced that the Scottish Conservatives would give every Scottish worker an account worth £500 to go towards training or qualifications, so they can quickly reskill if necessary for a job change.

4. Do you recognise the contribution of country sports to Scotland's economy and to achieving vital environmental objectives.

In short, I do – just as I recognise the contribution of Scotland's wider tourism sector. We should work with land managers on vital climate and biodiversity goals so we are all pulling in the same direction.

5. Do you plan to introduce legislation affecting the management of wildlife, such as fox control, deer management, muirburn and shooting in the next Parliament.

The Scottish Conservatives have no immediate plans in these areas. We have had a flurry of legislation and regulation from the SNP Government in the last five years, sometimes in the absence of proper evidence for changes. Our priority will be monitoring changes to measure their effects and gathering data on what works.

NB: These questions were sent to all party leaders who have been given equal opportunity to respond, indeed party leaders still have the opportunity to do so and we hope to be able to publish their responses to help inform debate.