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Local MP and Secretary of State for Scotland Danny Alexander has today highlighted the real benefits the new Coalition government will bring to the Highlands.

In the new Coalition's ‘Programme for Government' launched today, for which Mr Alexander led the talks, there are big steps forward on broadband, on energy bills, on Post Offices, on high speed rail and on taxation.

The document includes:

· Reviewing the control and use of accumulated and future revenues from the Fossil Fuel Levy in Scotland

· Establishing a High Speed Rail network for the whole of Britain, achieved in phases

· Investigating measures to help with fuel costs in remote rural areas

· Introducing measures to ensure the rapid roll-out of superfast broadband across the country, in both rural and urban areas at the same time

· Ensuring Post offices can offer a wide range of services to sustain the network and looking at the case for developing new sources of revenue, such as creating a Post Office Bank.

Commenting Danny said:

"This is a bold and ambitious agreement representing the new kind of politics this coalition embodies. It will bring real positive change for the Highlands.

"High speed broadband is essential for the future of the Highlands and will allow businesses to expand and compete, offering many more services to people in their own homes.

"The daily lives of many people in Scotland will also be improved by commitments in this Coalition Agreement to restore the earnings link for the basic state pension and to increase the personal allowance for income tax for those on lower and middle incomes.

"I am delighted the Chancellor has also agreed to look at ways of helping with fuel costs in remote and rural areas. There are many rural communities in Scotland where soaring fuel costs are doing real harm, and threatening the future of small filling stations.

"Changes will not happen overnight but it is clear in this document that there will be real benefits to the Highlands from the actions of this Government. We will work hard to deliver fairness for the whole of the United Kingdom."

ENDS