National Islands Plan Annual Report 2025

Implementation and Measurement of the National Islands Plan

Strategic Objective 13 – Support effective implementation of the National Islands Plan

Commitment 13.1 Establish a robust process to ensure the timely publication of a detailed Implementation Route Map setting out clear actions with defined responsibilities for action and timescales to support the delivery of the National Islands Plan.

Commitment fulfilled.

This commitment was fulfilled in 2021. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2021 for further details.

Commitment 13.2 Develop indicators applicable to each Strategic Objective in collaboration with Scottish Government agencies, local authorities, island communities and relevant island socio-economic actors based on the SMART criteria and building on the National Performance Framework and Sustainable Development Goals.

The Scottish Islands Data Dashboard was updated following a review of available data. This was accompanied by a report which summarises the findings and highlights the changes between data available in 2025 and data first collated in 2023 to give an overview of longer-term trends in Scotland’s islands. The Data Dashboard contains data on a large number of variables which mirror the Strategic Objectives of Scotland’s first National Islands Plan.

Commitment 13.3 Host a series of islands based focus group workshops, to discuss and agree the specific actions linked to each of the 13 Strategic Objectives in the Plan.

Commitment fulfilled.

This c ommitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details.

Commitment 13.4 Review the availability, usefulness of, and the wider barriers to, island level data both at an individual island level, groups of islands and consider the creation of a “Scottish Islands” data level in order to better understand the challenges faced by island communities.

Commitment fulfilled.

This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details.

Commitment 13.5 Create a Young Islanders Network constituted by young people form all Scottish islands that will have a consultative role in the implementation of the National Islands Plan to ensure that the delivery of the Plan fully considers the interests and priorities of young people.

Commitment fulfilled.

This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details

Commitment 13.6 Establish a National Islands Plan Governance Group to ensure close monitoring of the Implementation Route Map. This group will oversee the delivery of the National Islands Plan and feedback on progress to the Islands Strategic Group and other interested parties.

This commitment was fulfilled in 2021. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2021 for further details.

Commitment 13.7 Work with island communities to ensure that the Plan is widely promoted and understood by all sections of society.

As required by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, in 2024-25 the Scottish Government carried out a review of the National Islands Plan. The review was informed by a public consultation which invited everyone with an interest in the Plan to offer their feedback. In-person events were held on a number of islands to gather further evidence.

Having considered the results of the review, Scottish Ministers announced that work would commence on the development of new National Islands Plan. Extensive engagement with island communities, local authorities and delivery partners been central to informing the development of the new Plan. These engagements have also served as an opportunity to raise further awareness of the first iteration of the document and the provisions of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. In-person events on islands were complemented by online sessions designed to broaden participation and ease access further. Through a close partnership with the Scottish Islands Federation, the Scottish Government sought to maximise visibility for the sessions and increase participation from island community organisations.