A refreshed National Islands Plan is set to be unveiled next year by the Scottish Government.

The plan, launched in 2019, is being developed following a programme of community engagement and will acknowledge updated priorities for islanders while continuing to focus on improving outcomes for island communities.

A public consultation on the current National Islands Plan ran from July-November 2023 and consisted of an online questionnaire and 16 workshops to evaluate the impact of the initiative.

The Scottish Government has now published an independent analysis of the consultation results, which will guide work on the new plan.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “We know that island communities face issues such as higher living costs than those in other areas, and the new plan will ensure we continue to do our best to support them to address those challenges whilst drawing on their considerable expertise and strengths.”

Ms Robison pointed to £12 million of investment through the Islands Programme over the last three years.

She concluded: “Initiatives such as our Carbon Neutral Islands (CNI) project, which supports six islands to become carbon neutral by 2040 and, our Islands Programme capital investment fund are vital to delivering our vision for thriving, sustainable and successful island communities.”