SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has warmly welcomed the announcement from the SNP Scottish Government that a new walk-in GP clinic will open in Benbecula in late March.

The game changing walk-in clinics will allow people to see a GP or nurse quickly without the need for an appointment, focusing on urgent, on-the-day primary care needs. The clinic in Benbecula will be open seven days a week, 9am to 5.30pm, to complement the island’s existing out of hours provision which operates until 8pm and beyond. The service will help patients get the care they need while also easing pressure on other local healthcare services.

Across Scotland the locations of a total of 16 walk-in GP clinics have been confirmed today, which will help deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments nationally.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“The opening of a new walk-in GP clinic in Benbecula is very welcome indeed. I’ve been pushing consistently for improved access to healthcare services across our islands, and this will make a real difference locally, beginning in just a couple of months’ time. Work is ongoing to improve patient travel, and I’m fighting for better access to NHS dentistry for islanders as well.

“The new walk-in GP clinics are well spread out across Scotland, and I’m very pleased that one of the initial 16 clinics is to open here in the Western Isles.

"John Swinney's strong leadership is focussed on the priorities of the people of Scotland, and we are starting to see our NHS turn a corner with waiting times falling every month, and GP walk-in centres opening up across the country to provide more appointments and ease pressure on local A&E services and existing GP surgeries, as well as helping patients avoid the 8am rush to try and secure an appointment.

“Sadly, Labour failed to back the budget which will deliver this vital new service in Uist – they are more focused on scandal and division than delivering for Scotland.

"While other parties focus on themselves, our focus will always be on delivering for the people of Scotland - that's what's on the ballot on 7th May.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan has signed a joint letter by SNP MSPs over the Bank of Scotland’s announcement to close eleven Scottish branches, including Balivanich on 1st July 2026.

The island MSP has also signed Scottish Parliamentary Motion S6M-20791 in the hope of securing a debate in Parliament to speak out against the closures.

Allan has raised his concern about what this means for jobs and many vulnerable residents throughout Uist who need to access to face-to-face banking.

Allan commented:

“I am pleased my SNP MSP colleagues are taking a joint approach in urging the Bank of Scotland to re-think its stance on closing their branch in Benbecula.

“This measure would mean Uist’s Bank of Scotland customers would need to make an all-day day return trip via ferry to branches in either Skye or Stornoway just to visit their nearest Bank of Scotland. Even moving bank to the Royal Bank would leave people in many parts of Uist with very long journeys.

“Although I appreciate more customers do their banking online, there are still vulnerable and elderly residents who will be worried about these closures, alongside bank clerks and managers concerned about their employment.

“I would strongly urge the Bank of Scotland to reconsider this decision and confirm that one of their 15 new banking hubs will be in Uist, and also to offer more assurance about the future of Cashline machines in the islands.

“Of course, I would encourage any Uist constituents concerned about how to continue accessing their Bank of Scotland services to get in touch with the Bank of Scotland, or myself.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, successfully moved 12 amendments at Stage 2 consideration of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill this morning.

The Bill aims to simplify legislation to make crofting regulation less onerous. It strengthens the role of grazing committees, and gives crofters and their communities a greater say in how the land they work on is used.

Alasdair Allan’s amendments, which he moved in the Rural Affairs Committee of the Parliament, relate to owner-occupier crofts, processes for assignations and applications, as well as Land Court applications.

One of the islands’ MSP’s amendments gives Scottish Ministers the power to regulate on the transfer of owner-occupier crofts, while another prevents a crofters’ right to buy being exercised where they are in breach of their crofting responsibilities. If all changes remain in the Bill in its final form at stage 3, criminal offences in relation to failure to uphold crofting duties will also be replaced with a more practical civil system, with the Crofting Commission will be better able to respond proportionately and effectively to non-compliance.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“This bill represents an important step forward and, with the amendments passed today in committee, will ensure that the groundwork is laid for further, essential, reform to crofting law after the election. There has been consistent engagement between crofting stakeholders, MSPs, Scottish Government and officials over the shape the changes within the bill should take to be most effective, and this dialogue needs to continue as we assess the impact of this bill in the months to come.

“Legislation –in the form of this current bill, and another bill in the future - must help safeguard crofting for the generations to come, in terms of its importance as a cultural practice as well as the integral role it plays in our islands local economy. There were several ideas put forward in committee today by others which were unfortunately beyond the scope of the current bill, but which I hope might be incorporated in future, more comprehensive legislation.

“We need to make sure that crofters are well supported, and that the Crofting Commission is able to work as efficiently as possible to ensure obligations are being upheld. It’s also important that rights relating to commons grazings continue to be protected. I look forward to work beginning on further legislation in the near future to further simplify and modernise what is at present a very complex area of law, and one that needs updated to match the needs of the crofters, and would-be crofters, of today.”

The committee will conclude Stage 2 of the Bill next week before it returns to the whole chamber at Stage 3.