Three years ago, my former colleague David Stewart tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament congratulating the GlenWyvis Distillery Community Benefit Society on starting production of their new whisky in Dingwall.  I am pleased to say that three years later I was able to table a motion congratulating them on the release of that first whisky.

Whisky is synonymous with the Highlands and Islands but the difference here is that this is a community owned whisky, owned by thousands of members of the community benefit society.  It is good to see whisky being produced using this co-operative model.

My motion acknowledges the work down by the GlenWyvis Distillery, using sustainable energy for example and also promoting co-operation amongst co-operatives by using co-operatively produced grain.

I also want to acknowledge that we need an economy that works for local people and that is why it is important that we look for ways to promote these co-operative structures in our economy in the Highlands and Islands and right across Scotland.

An economy where wealth is kept locally, where jobs are kept local and where there is a concern for the environment and the local community surely, we could all say cheers to that.