Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife has called on the SNP Scottish Government to explain why Ministers have not given help to Comrie. The Strathearn based MSP has tabled a number of written questions to demand answers form SNP Ministers. Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “Since the news came that SNP Scottish Government will not give any financial help to Comrie to address the flooding infrastructure many questions have been asked surrounding the Bellwin Scheme and why Perth & Kinross Council has been left to meet the total cost of addressing the flooding issues. “The Bellwin Scheme was supposed to reduce the bureaucracy imposed on local authorities and deliver financial assistance to authorities faster to help them deal with the immediate aftermath of major emergency incidents as quickly and efficiently as possible. “Perth & Kinross Council rightly took action following the two flooding incidents which Comrie last year. The fact that SNP Ministers have now left the Council on their own to cover the additional expenditure incurred by flooding in Comrie is very concerning and could present a future president where the local authority does not take emergency action to address flooding because of the financial implications. “Above all it is clear that many communities across Perth & Kinross continue to face the threat of flooding and that the flood mitigation issues and plans identified in each of these communities have not progressed. The SNP Scottish Government must look to help support Scottish Councils in bringing forward investment in flood defence schemes for homes and businesses in the most at risk flooding areas. “Residents in Comrie have seen at first hand the devastation which flooding brings to families, businesses, and communities and the costs faced to recover and rebuild after a flood. We cannot control mother nature and remove the threat of flooding altogether but steps can be taken to protect communities and to improve the local flood defence infrastructure. Real investment and action are needed to improve our flood prevention schemes, improve flood defences and deliver better planning and accurate flood predictions.”