Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has said that it is vitally important for the Highlands and Islands that a Government taskforce is successful in securing the future of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).

NTS is reported to have announced that 429 staff of its permanent workforce are at risk of redundancy and that it will seek to sell non-heritage land and property .

Some local employees have contacted Mr Cameron to express their concern about the threat to the organisation’s future in the Highlands and Islands.

Mr Cameron said: “NTS act as custodian for the some of the most cherished landscapes and historic buildings in the Highlands and Islands, providing a vital part of our tourist infrastructure.

“Their geographical spread, with properties and holdings from Argyll to the Northern Isles, makes them hugely significant to my region.

“As we seek to rebuild the tourism sector – worth £1bn to our regional economy – we must ensure that the irreplaceable attractions cared for by NTS are secured for the nation, and we do everything possible to preserve the jobs of the local NTS workforce.”

Mr Cameron said that he is contacting  Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Fair Work, and Culture, to impress on her the importance of the charity to the region.