Part 3Duties in relation to island communities
Duty of the Scottish Ministers to consult island communities
I116Duty to consult island communities
1
The Scottish Ministers must consult island communities before making a material change to any—
a
policy,
b
strategy, or
c
service,
which, in the Scottish Ministers' opinion, is likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities (including other island communities) in Scotland.
2
The persons consulted under subsection (1)—
a
must include each local authority listed in the schedule, and
b
may include such other bodies or persons as the Scottish Ministers determine.
3
No later than three months after the day on which a consultation under subsection (1) is concluded, the Scottish Ministers must publish—
a
the responses received to the consultation,
b
information about the steps which it will take following the consultation.
4
Where the Scottish Ministers do not consider that a material change to any—
a
policy,
b
strategy, or
c
service,
is likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities (including other island communities) in Scotland, a local authority listed in the schedule may request that the Scottish Ministers consult island communities under subsection (1) before making the change.
5
Where the Scottish Ministers receive a request under subsection (4), they must—
a
undertake a consultation under subsection (1), or
b
publish an explanation of their reasons for not undertaking a consultation under subsection (1).