SKAT

Press Release 17 December 1997

Donald Ducking The Issue Again

Anger and dismay has been generated by the government’s intention to empower toll-collectors on the Skye Bridge to tow away vehicles whose drivers refuse to pay the tolls and charge a ‘recovery fee’. Responding to this latest move by the Scottish Secretary to ‘solve’ the Skye Bridge issue, SKAT vice-convener Alasdair Maclean has insisted that the resulting furore should not be allowed to divert people’s attention from the fact that Donald Dewar appears now to be conceded that the Assignation Statement required by the Skye Bridge legislation does not exist. In a letter to Charles Kennedy MP, the Scottish Secretary prevaricated on this particular issue, promising "to write shortly to the Hon. Member about the assignation statement…." In other words he cannot produce the document confirming that his predecessor did in fact empower Miller Civil Engineering to collect tolls on the Skye Bridge.

"It may be that he will claim that after all this documentation is not actually required", commented Mr. Maclean, "but if that is the case then why did the Crown attempt in Dingwall Sheriff Court to pass of a spurious document, claiming that it was in fact the Assignation Statement?" The document produced in Dingwall was used to continue convictions of alleged non-payers but eminent legal figures and indeed the author of the document himself describe it as a marginal and irrelevant paper which does not assign authority from the Secretary of State to Millers to collect tolls. "Unfortunately for the Crown and the Government they tried to hoodwink us into believing that they had at last produced the necessary documentation. They cannot now change that, nor can they say that the confirmed assignation wasn’t needed".

Contact:- Alasdair Maclean 01470 521488

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Copyright © Ray Shields, 1997.

Most recent revision, 13 March 1998