EU Membership: Economic Benefits

Drew Hendry Excerpts

Wednesday 15th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) (SNP)]

I wanted to use my short time to focus on the importance of the European Union to communities in my constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, in the highlands and of course in Scotland. There are 175,000 EU citizens living and working in Scotland out of a population of 5.4 million people. We have a problem not of immigration, but of emigration in the highlands. Those people from the EU who work for us are vital to the health industry. They fill skills gaps and help our tourism economy, but they are more than that. These people are not just numbers and EU citizens, but our neighbours, our friends and part of our communities. It is a two-way process. At the moment, both of my sons are working abroad in Europe: one in Germany and one in Spain. Earlier, we heard it said that this is about not immigrants or migrants, but expats when it suits.

[Ian Blackford]

I am delighted that my hon. Friend has given way. He is making some very important points. Does he also agree that those of us representing seats in the highlands and islands have benefited enormously from the European Union with the investment that is taking place in our roads and our infrastructure? The European Union has been a voice for good, and that is true for our crofters and farmers. All highlanders, along with everyone else, should vote to stay in.

--- Later in debate ---

[Drew Hendry]

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. If not for the 40 years of the European Union, I wonder whether we would have that symbol of progress in the highlands, the Kessock bridge, which unites our constituencies. Given the paucity of investment from the Westminster Government through those decades, I believe that we would not have seen that or many other investments. Just imagine what would have happened there.

The UK’s relationship with the EU is a two-way street. We heard earlier about the European health card. This week I got the great news that Stephanie Inglis, the Commonwealth games medal-winning athlete who was critically injured in Vietnam, is coming home. That is terrific news. She was out there with travel insurance, and the insurance company found a loophole allowing it not to pay. It has taken £300,000 worth of fundraising to pay her bill. Imagine if that accident had happened in the European Union to one of our constituents without cover. That is why it is important that we recognise what we get back.

Between 2014 and 2021 the EU will have invested €192 million in the highlands and islands through the transition programme. We get more out than we put in. The hon. Member for St Austell and Newquay (Steve Double) is not in his seat—he obviously read his badge and took it as an instruction. If he wants to give that money to the highlands and islands, he is welcome to do so. Tourism is a £5.4 billion industry in the highlands, and airfares have been reduced by 40% over the time that we have been involved in the European Union, and budget airlines have become available to us.

The right-wing element in the leave campaign—which is the Leave campaign—wants to get rid of red tape, employment rights and consumer rights. That is the kind of red tape that leave campaigners want to get rid of. The hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) has spoken of a takeover. He has always had a long-term plan. Today it seems that there is a possibility that he will make Mr Farage a Lord so that he can bypass holding a by-election for him. We know that the hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip wants a Boris island. On 23 June let us not make the UK Boris island.