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You are absolutely right. Every island is different and has its own unique set of challenges. This probably touches on a previous response in relation to the data that we get and trying to tease out the detail to understand the different issues for particular communities. Some of those issues were also drawn out through the engagement that has been taking place through the islands bond. Some people would prefer to see that mechanism work in a way that retains population, while others would like to see it work in a way that attracts people to come and live in particular communities. It is important that we carry out that engagement in such a way that we develop policies that are flexible and will work for individual communities. The islands policy is not going to be one size fits all. Collaboration and engagement will be critical going forward.

Absolutely. That point was raised by the convener and we said that we would follow up on it with transport colleagues.

On parity of funding, we expected and hoped for the full replacement of EU funds that have been lost as a result of our no longer being a member of the EU, but we have not seen that fully implemented so far.

Of course, we continue to use our resources as best we can. I have raised this example with the committee before, but our marine fund Scotland provides £14 million of funding when we should have received around £62 million. With full replacement of those funds, we would be able to do a lot more than we are able to do at the moment.

It is really important that we lead by example in that regard, too. The islands team is probably the perfect example of doing that. Since it was established, in 2019, it has operated using remote and hybrid working. Members of the islands team live on our islands, which I think is important. Maybe one of the team will want to jump in on that point.

We are also setting up a working group to look at workforce dispersal, because it is really important that we support people to live and work in our remote, rural and island communities. We have also seen that approach being taken by the Crofting Commission, which has made specific development positions available on our islands. We have our network of rural payments and inspections division offices, too. We are certainly keen to encourage workforce dispersal, and to encourage hybrid working.

Do you want me to touch on the issue of digital connectivity now? I completely agree with your point, convener. We have to have that infrastructure and ensure that there is that capability if we want people to live and work in these areas and to embrace hybrid working, too.

That was outlined through the reaching 100 per cent programme—the R100 project—and the extra investment that we put into it to try to develop and strengthen the digital infrastructure that we have. We have also committed to a project to lay 16 subsea cables to improve connectivity. I believe that those are due to be in place and delivered this year, which will obviously help.

We have also been involved with work on 5G, and there is the 4G infill programme as well, in which we have been installing more mobile infrastructure through nearly £30 million of investment in 55 not-spot areas. More than half of those masts are already in place and delivered. We understand that improvements need to be made and we are working hard to deliver them.

I would be happy to come back to the committee with the figures on the funding that we have provided. Dr Allan is absolutely right that those are reserved areas, and we have had to spend over and above to ensure that we are delivering as best we can in reaching not-spot areas and improving digital connectivity—without that extra investment, that would not have been seen as a priority and it would not have been rolled out to the extent that it has been. I would be happy to come back to the committee with figures on that.

Emma Harper is absolutely right. In previous responses, we have touched on collaboration being critical in many policy areas, to many of the objectives that we are looking to implement and to our commitments. Working with our local authority partners, different operators and industry is really important.

I will start on that question, although I know that Francesco Sindico has been desperate to talk about the carbon neutral islands project, which he has been working on in some detail, and I would not want for a moment to steal his thunder.

The initiative is really exciting. Initially, we had committed to working with three islands to reach carbon neutrality by 2040, but we have increased the number to six islands. I emphasise that, even though the focus is on six islands, we want to ensure that all islands benefit.

The initiative is exciting because our islands are at the forefront of innovation. With all the work that is happening in renewables throughout our islands, we really want to capitalise on the opportunities that exist and to work closely with islands in reaching carbon neutrality.

An external working group looked to identify the different criteria for which islands we should work with. It is important that we get a mix. Some islands will be quite advanced in the journey in the work that they are undertaking, whereas some will potentially have a bit further to go.

I will hand over to Francesco Sindico to provide a bit more detail.

I will not be making any announcements today, and you will understand why the Government has not made any announcements in the past few weeks, during the run-up to the local elections. The announcement will be made soon.

Thank you, convener. I also thank the committee for providing me with an opportunity to introduce briefly and discuss the draft joint fisheries statement and the UK fisheries framework.

Together, the documents help to explain how, in future years, fisheries will be managed across the UK in a way that allows the UK as a whole to share common goals on fisheries management and marine protection while, at the same time, protecting the Scottish Government’s devolved powers in the area as it decides its approach to the goals and the implementation of policy.

The future of fisheries management strategy and the future catching policy, along with the blue economy strategy that will be launched this spring, set out how I intend to make Scotland a world-class fisheries manager by focusing on the issues that are of importance and relevance to Scottish waters and Scottish communities. As the documents show, the commitment to achieving sustainable management of fisheries is locked into our overarching fisheries management strategy and will drive many of the new policies.

In that context, the JFS and the framework help to establish the high-level UK policy and describe how the UK Administrations will work together to ensure that devolution is respected. They also identify where we need to work together to deliver sustainable management of our seas. With the high-level goals having been established at a UK level through the JFS and the framework, both will be implemented through the Scottish Government’s actions to achieve our goals on marine protection, recovery of biodiversity, net zero and growing the blue economy.

The documents are split, because the draft joint fisheries statement predates the UK frameworks process, but broadly speaking the JFS sets out the joint policies that the four UK Administrations will pursue and the framework sets out how the Administrations will work together. The JFS sets out the Administrations’ policies to achieve the eight policy objectives in the Fisheries Act 2020. It also sets out how the objectives in the 2020 act have been interpreted and how the Administrations aim to deliver a vibrant, profitable and sustainable fishing industry that is supported by a healthy marine environment.

The policies cover sea fisheries policy and management both within UK waters and in negotiation with other coastal states. They also cover fisheries science; fisheries management; determination and apportionment of fishing opportunities; access to UK waters; bycatch; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; marine protected areas; climate change and a number of other areas. In order to protect devolved competence, the policies are set at a high level, with the detail to be delivered by the Scottish Government to ensure that policy is tailored to Scottish waters and Scottish circumstances while achieving the high-level goals.

The JFS also sets out our approach to fisheries management plans, which the Government will take the lead in drafting in relation to many of the stocks that are of greatest interest to us, including pelagic and demersal stocks.

The UK fisheries management and support framework is a more operationally focused document that, broadly speaking, addresses how the Administrations should engage with each other, and establishes groups and processes by which we will regulate day-to-day business.

The structure of the memorandum of understanding consists of one high-level agreement covering common principles on working together, dispute avoidance and resolution, and data collection and sharing. Underneath that MOU sit more detailed operational agreements that detail how exactly the Administrations will work together on a number of other areas. That approach allows Administrations to approach each issue independently by allowing, for example, changes to quota management to be made without the entire MOU needing to be reopened. The ability to take issues singly should allow for considerable flexibility in deciding when and how we wish to amend any part of the MOU or any of its annexed agreements.

Together, the documents help to explain how fisheries will be managed across the UK for future years in a way that allows the UK as a whole to share common goals on fisheries management and marine protection while protecting the Scottish Government’s devolved powers in decisions on how the goals should be approached and how policy should be implemented.

I hope that it has been helpful to set that out. I am happy to take questions from the committee.