Islands (Scotland) Act 2018

3 National islands plan

(1) The Scottish Ministers must prepare a national islands plan.

(2) The purpose of preparing a national islands plan is to set out the main objectives and strategy of the Scottish Ministers in relation to improving outcomes for island communities that result from, or are contributed to by, the carrying out of functions of a public nature.

(3) Improving outcomes for island communities includes—

(a) increasing population levels,

(b) improving and promoting—

(i) sustainable economic development,

(ii) environmental wellbeing,

(iii) health and wellbeing, and

(iv) community empowerment,

(c) improving transport services,

(d) improving digital connectivity,

(e) reducing fuel poverty,

(f) ensuring effective management of the Scottish Crown Estate (that is, the property, rights and interests to which section 90B(5) of the Scotland Act 1998 applies),

(g) enhancing biosecurity (including protecting islands from the impact of invasive non-native species).

(4) The plan must list the public authorities that have duties under this Act.

(5) In setting out their main objectives in the plan, the Scottish Ministers must consider and outline, in so far as possible, what would be appropriate to use for the purpose of measuring (whether quantitatively or qualitatively) the extent to which outcomes for island communities identified in the plan are improved.