Highlands and Islands

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The Highlands and Islands region. Some Highland districts are not shown. Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region).svg
The Highlands and Islands region. Some Highland districts are not shown.

The Highlands and Islands is an area of Scotland broadly covering the Scottish Highlands, plus Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles).

Contents

The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters' Act of 1886 applied. This area consisted of eight counties of Scotland:

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) uses a broader definition also used at Eurostat's NUTS level 2, and there has been a Highlands and Islands electoral region of the Scottish Parliament since 1999. [1]

In Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service the name refers to the local government areas (council areas) of Highland, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. Northern, as in Northern Constabulary , is also used to refer to this area. [2]

As of early 2021, Police Scotland operated six Command Areas in Highlands and Islands: North Highland, Inverness, South Highland, Orkney Islands, Shetland Island and Western Isles. Each had a Local Area Commander and a Chief Inspector. The police service works in partnership with Highland Council, Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles Councils. [3]

The HITRANS (Highlands and Islands Partnership for Transport), established in 2006, covers most of the council areas of Argyll and Bute, Highland, Moray, Orkney and the Western Isles. Shetland is covered by the separate ZetTrans. [4] Helensburgh and Lomond is covered by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. [5]

A 2018 estimate stated that population was 469,365, an increase of 0.5% from 2011. A higher than average percentage were self-employed compared to Scotland (11.0% compared to 8.7%). The unemployment rate was lower than in Scotland in general, 2.3% vs. 3.2%, and the employment rate was higher at 78.6% vs. 74.7%. [6]

The restrictions required by the worldwide pandemic increased unemployment in the Highlands and Islands in summer 2020 to 5.7%; that was significantly higher than the 2.4 per cent in 2019. The rates were said to be highest in "Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross and Argyll and the Islands". [7] [8] A December 2020 report stated that between March (just before the effects of pandemic were noted) and December, the unemployment rate increased by "more than 97%" and suggested that the outlook was even worse for spring 2021. [9]

Politics

Highlands and Islands is an electoral region of the Scottish Parliament. In the 2007 election, this region was the last to declare its regional votes, which were the decisive results in determining that the Scottish National Party overtook Scottish Labour to obtain the largest representation in the Scottish Parliament by one seat. [10]

As of 2024, the MPs representing the Highlands and Islands areas are Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland), Angus Macdonald (Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire), and Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross) all of whom are Scottish Liberal Democrats. In addition, Torcuil Crichton is the Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar; Graham Leadbitter the SNP MP for Moray West, Nairn, and Strathspey; and Brendan O'Hara the SNP MP for Argyll and Bute. [11]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)</span> Scottish Parliament electoral region

The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament, created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross, Skye and Lochaber (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005-2024

Ross, Skye and Lochaber was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster). It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span>

Ross, Skye and Inverness West was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It was one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Scottish Parliament constituency

Argyll and Bute is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering most of the council area of Argyll and Bute. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moray (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency for the Scottish Parliament

Moray is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering most of the council area of Moray. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies within the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orkney (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span>

Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering the council area of Orkney. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Shetland is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering the council area of Shetland. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Scottish Parliament constituency

Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly the Western Isles, is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering the council area of Na h-Eileanan Siar. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Constabulary</span> Former police force in Scotland, United Kingdom

The Northern Constabulary was the territorial police force responsible for Northern Scotland, covering the Highland council area along with the Western Isles, the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands, which make up most of the Highlands and Islands area. It was the police force covering the largest geographical area in the United Kingdom, equivalent to the size of Belgium, but was one of the smallest in terms of officers, with about 715 officers. The Constabulary was one of those amalgamated to form Police Scotland in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of the Highland council area</span>

The politics of the Highland council area in Scotland are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the Highland Council, in elections to the council, and in elections to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) and the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). In the European Parliament the area was within the Scotland constituency, which covers all of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

A local enterprise company (LEC) was a public-sector organisation in Scotland with responsibility for local economic development activities. The LECs formed part of the two enterprise networks, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The 22 LECs were abolished in September 2007 and replaced with enterprise regions (ERs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highlands and Islands Enterprise</span>

Highlands and Islands Enterprise is the development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government with the role to "help build a prosperous, sustainable and inclusive economy across the Highlands and Islands, attracting more people to live, work, study, invest and visit there."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highlands and Islands (European Parliament constituency)</span> Former European Parliament constituency

Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales. The European Parliament constituencies used under that system were smaller than the later regional constituencies and only had one Member of the European Parliament each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverness-shire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Inverness-shire or the County of Inverness, is a historic county in Scotland. It is named after Inverness, its largest settlement, which was also the county town. Covering much of the Highlands and some of the Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county by land area. It is generally rural and sparsely populated, containing only three towns which held burgh status, being Inverness, Fort William and Kingussie. The county is crossed by the Great Glen, which contains Loch Ness and separates the Grampian Mountains to the south-east from the Northwest Highlands. The county also includes Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in both Scotland and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering the northern part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverness and Nairn (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Inverness and Nairn is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, as well as eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

References

  1. ↑ "Highlands and Islands Enterprise". Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "Highlands and Islands - Police". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Highland and Islands Division - Police Scotland". www.scotland.police.uk.
  4. ↑ "ZetTrans". ZetTrans. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "HITRANS". HITRANS. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Key Statistics" (PDF).
  7. ↑ "Covid-19's £2.6bn hit to Highlands and Islands' economy". BBC News. 18 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Unemployment rate soars across Highlands and Islands, report finds". The Oban Times. 8 October 2020.
  9. ↑ Unemployment up by 116 per cent in Inverness since the start of Covid as Highland Council aims to launch a jobs programme amid fears those out of work could treble by next spring
  10. ↑ "Scotland". Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "Scotland election results 2024 | Constituency map". BBC News. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
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