Islands Programme capital fund 2021/22 to 2024/25: grant awards - evaluation

Annex 1: Documentary sources of evidence

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee correspondence and reports

Budget 2023-24 (session 6 of the Scottish Parliament)

Correspondence is in date order.

1. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary) concerning the Scottish budget 2023-24. 1 July 2022.

2. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Chief Executives Highlands and Islands local authorities (Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Argyll and Bute Council, Highland Council and North Ayrshire Council) concerning the Scottish budget 2023-24. 1 July 2022.

3. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Peter Reekie (Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust) concerning the Scottish budget 2023-24. 1 July 2022.

4. Letter from Pippa Milne (Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council) to the Clerk of the RAI Committee. 18 August 2022.

5. Letter from Craig Hatton (Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor). 18 August 2022.

6. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor). 26 August 2022.

7. Letter from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to Convenor of RAI Committee. 26 August 2022.

8. Letter from Tony Rose (Scottish Futures Trust, Director of Strategy, Place & Economy) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor). 26 August 2022.

9. Letter from Gareth Waterson (Orkney Islands Council Corporate Director – Enterprise and Sustainable Regeneration) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor). 28 August 2022.

10. Official Report, Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee. 28 September 2022. Representatives of local authorities attended this meeting and discussed their experience of the Islands Programme. A recording of this session is also available.

11. Letter from Tony Rose (Scottish Futures Trust, Director of Strategy, Place & Economy) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) – follow-up clarification. 12 October 2022

12. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon concerning pre-budget scrutiny 2023-24. 3 November 2022. This letter sets out the RAI’s Committee’s recommendations for improving the competitive bid process introduced in 2022/23.

13. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) concerning pre-budget scrutiny 2023-24. 22 December 2022. See Annex A.

14. Official Report, Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee. 11 January 2023. See columns 35 and 36 regarding discussion of the Islands Programme budget and disbursement mechanism. This is also a recording of this session available.

Budget 2024-25 (session 6 of the Scottish Parliament)

Correspondence is in date order.

15. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 11 July 2023.

16. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Chief Executives of island authorities (Argyll and Bute Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highland Council, North Ayrshire Council, Orkney Islands Council and Shetland Islands Council) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 11 July 2023.

17. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Peter Reekie (Chief Executive, Scottish Futures Trust) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 11 July 2023.

18. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) concerning National Islands Plan Annual Report 2022 – Follow-up information. 30 August 2023. This letter provides information about projects receiving Islands Programme funding in 2022/23.

19. Letter from Pippa Milne (Chief Executive, Argyll and Bute Council) to Clerk of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 31 August 2023.

20. Letter from Kate Lackie (Chief Executive, Highland Council) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) regarding 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 30 August 2023.

21. Survey response from North Ayrshire Council to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. August 2023.

22. Survey response from Orkney Islands Council to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. August 2023.

23. Survey response from Shetland Islands Council to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. August 2023.

24. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 31 August 2023.

25. Letter from Tony Rose (Director of Strategy, Place and Economy, Scottish Futures Trust) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 1 September 2023.

26. Official Report, Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. 27 September 2023.

27. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) concerning post-budget 2024-25 committee session on 27 September 2023 – further information. 12 October 2023.

28. Letter from Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) to Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 22 November 2023.

29. Letter from Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands) to Finlay Carson MSP (Convenor) concerning 2024-25 pre-budget scrutiny. 19 December 2023.

Other sources of documentary evidence, not in the public domain

• Islands Programme monitoring reports produced by the Scottish Futures Trust
• Islands Programme grant offer letters to local authorities
• Islands Programme guidance and application materials for local authorities (relating to the competitive bidding process)
• Islands Programme appraisal guidance and scoring criteria for Investment Panel members (relating to the competitive bidding process)
• Notes of Islands Programme Investment Panel discussions (relating to the competitive bidding process)