Ms Adam has pointed out that Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing joined both of the meetings held to date – where local Tory MP David Duguid was also present.
“The SNP Government originally pressed alongside industry for the ministerial taskforce and were pleased when the UK Government agreed to this.
“Contrary to what the Conservative candidate claims, Fergus Ewing has attended both meetings held to date and participated fully.
“The Conservative candidate needs to apologise. He is either deliberately trying to harm the reputation of the Scottish Fisheries Minister or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. His own Tory colleagues sat in the taskforce meeting with Fergus Ewing. So, to suggest otherwise is just mendacious.
“It should also be remembered that the Scottish Government got on and delivered its own support scheme because people couldn’t wait for the UK Government to make up its mind on what it would do – it originally drew the criteria to qualify for its £23m scheme so narrowly that very few of those affected qualified.”
“Contrary to what the Conservative candidate claims, Fergus Ewing has attended both meetings held to date and participated fully.
“The Conservative candidate needs to apologise. He is either deliberately trying to harm the reputation of the Scottish Fisheries Minister or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. His own Tory colleagues sat in the taskforce meeting with Fergus Ewing. So, to suggest otherwise is just mendacious.
“It should also be remembered that the Scottish Government got on and delivered its own support scheme because people couldn’t wait for the UK Government to make up its mind on what it would do – it originally drew the criteria to qualify for its £23m scheme so narrowly that very few of those affected qualified.”
