National Islands Plan: equality impact assessment

Background

The National Islands Plan has been developed under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, which requires the Scottish Government to publish a strategic plan for improving outcomes for island communities and to review it regularly. This second National Islands Plan responds to extensive consultation conducted in 2023, engagement with local authorities and public bodies, and analysis of demographic trends across Scotland’s islands.

Population change, particularly depopulation and age imbalances, is one of the most significant long-term challenges facing island areas. The Plan therefore places population sustainability at its heart, recognising that stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive communities depend on ensuring that people of all ages and backgrounds can thrive in island communities.

The EQIA was undertaken to ensure that the Plan complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires Scottish Ministers and public bodies to have due regard to eliminating unlawful discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity, and fostering good relations. Given the distinct demographic characteristics of many island communities, including older age profiles, small population sizes, and diverse cultural identities, the EQIA process was essential in identifying where policy interventions could have disproportionate or unintended impacts.