Positive meeting with new Secretary

Mr MacNeil said he had received positive feedback from Mr Clark.

He said: “Having known Greg Clark for years, it was a very positive meeting and he was very much listening to the idea of not going through the next round of Contract for Difference (CfD) auction until the islands have state aid approval from Europe for Remote Island Wind Contracts for Difference.

“He also, to my delight, expressed a genuine interest to my invitation in coming to the Hebrides to hear about energy issues and to hear about energy potential here, particularly when I pointed out that the wind resource of the Hebrides is, as far as land goes, about the best in the world.

“I will continue to push for progress on the matter of support for island renewables and, although early days, I am pleased that this initial meeting was certainly moving in the right direction.”