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We are certainly planning for that to be the case. Obviously, technology is changing all the time and it is really important that whatever infrastructure we put in place is, in essence, future proofed and can deal with any changes or upgrades that there may be in the future. It is important that we made that extra investment to ensure that we reach as many areas as we possibly can. That is where that extra investment has been absolutely critical.

I do not have figures on that. I do not know whether the team would be able to answer that question, but I would be happy to come back to the committee with more information.

We do not want island community impact assessments to be tick-box exercises, because that would defeat their purpose. If there are any particular examples that you are aware of in addition to the one that you have mentioned, please raise them with me in writing. I would be happy to look at them in more detail.

I do not have the detail of that particular community impact assessment before me, so I am not able to give a view on that today, but I would be happy to follow it up for the committee. There is an option available for the local authority to ask for a review of an island community impact assessment.

The annual report sets out our commitments, and you will see that it also sets out where we are in relation to them. Many commitments in the report have been completed, but work is on-going for a number of others on which we cannot take immediate action. Many issues have gone on for a long time and we are working very hard to resolve them.

For example, in relation to some of the areas that you touched on, such as transport, and some of the other projects that we have been working on, I mentioned in my opening remarks the work that has taken place on the Kerrera project. Through our islands infrastructure fund, we awarded more than £500,000 to connect the length of the island, which we know will have a tangible and very visible impact.

I also touched on the Fair Isle Bird Observatory project, in which we have invested through the same programme and which will also have a positive impact on the island itself, as well as on the wider island communities. Those are the tangible things that we can see, but huge pieces of work are still under way and we continue to make good progress on them.

You touched on transport, but a power of work is also under way on addressing population decline. I briefly mentioned the islands bond, on which work is being done at pace and in which extensive community engagement is taking place so that we can develop a proposal that will work for our islands and for our island communities. I do not know whether officials want to touch a bit further on the islands bond project, if the committee is interested in hearing a bit more on where we are with it.

The islands bond itself will not solve the problem of depopulation on our islands, for which we know that many different, complex reasons are responsible. The bond is not seen as a silver bullet that will resolve the issues that we face, but we believe that it can help if it is used in the right way. I hand over to officials if there is any further information on it.

No, the power has not been used so far. From the conversations that I have had, I am not aware that there are any particular potential barriers that inhibit local authorities from using it. However, officials might have something to add on that point.

I think so. As I said, I have not been made aware that there is an issue at the moment. I presume that, by their nature and through the 2018 act, island authorities are aware that the power exists—I would like to think so, anyway. I am not aware that they perceive any barriers in relation to using the power.

Absolutely—you are right about that.

It is interesting and exciting to hear about the work that is happening on Jura, and I would be interested to find out more about it. I completely understand your point that, in small communities in particular, there can be volunteer fatigue and the same people sometimes do a lot of the work. If there is anything that we can do to support communities and the initiatives that are under way on Jura, I am more than happy to take that away and look at it. You have outlined an exciting development.

I will say a few words about the Scottish Government’s second annual report on our delivery of the national islands plan for 2021. The report outlines where progress has been made towards each specific commitment in the national islands plan, and it details our projects and resource spend where that is appropriate.

I acknowledge the support that we have received from stakeholders in the past year. We have benefited from vital collaborations with local authorities, island stakeholders and communities themselves.

We have lived, and continue to live, through really challenging times. Approximately 12 weeks after we launched the national islands plan, the country entered lockdown and, like so many other communities across Scotland, our islands faced unprecedented challenges. Islanders experienced issues with supply chains, transport and access to services. Covid-19 has had a deep and lasting impact on the health, wellbeing and finances of many islanders, and we continue to work exceptionally hard to support them in the best way that we can.

Now that we are slowly moving out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the stark rise in energy prices and the associated negative effects on the cost of living are creating a new set of challenges. Islands already face some of the highest levels of fuel poverty, and they are being further impacted by the current energy crisis.

Despite the challenging times, however, the national islands plan continues to provide the Scottish Government with an opportunity and a focus to improve the lives of people on the islands. As you will see in the annual report, I am pleased to see good progress across the national islands plan’s 13 strategic objectives. I do not have time to detail all the work that has been done on every one of those objectives and commitments, but I want to share with the committee a few of the highlights from the report.

First, we have launched a number of funding streams that have enabled island communities not only to better cope through Covid-19, but to develop innovative and transformational projects. Secondly, we are developing the islands bond, which will play a role in tackling depopulation and promoting sustainable economic development on our islands. Thirdly, we have launched the carbon neutral islands project, which will support six islands in their efforts to reach net zero by 2040. Those islands will become climate trailblazers for all other Scottish islands. Fourthly, we are continuing to work with Kerrera and Fair Isle on two major projects, which are transforming both islands in a positive way.

I will be happy to talk about other projects and activities in answering the committee’s questions, but I hope that those examples give the committee a flavour of the range and breadth of work that we have done in relation to the national islands plan.

The cost of living, child poverty, depopulation and the climate are just some of the critical issues that islands face. The Scottish Government takes them all seriously and, together with my colleagues working across other portfolios, we will spare no effort in tackling them decisively.

Delivery of the national islands plan is a journey, and, although we still have a way to go, it is also an opportunity to provide support and capacity to islands so that they can emerge from these challenging times as resilient and, ultimately, more sustainable communities.

Yes—and to work constructively through that process.

A lot of work is going on in that area. We have talked a bit about the islands bond and how it might complement some of the other measures that we are looking at. Through the convention of the Highlands and Islands, we have a population working group, which works with the Scottish Government and the third sector. Francesco Sindico talked about the importance of collaboration. When we are dealing with issues such as this one, collaboration is absolutely critical.

In Government, we also have an expert group on population and migration, which was reconvened in March. Part of the group’s work involves looking at zonal methodologies. The group has been commissioned to scope that out, consider what the boundaries might be, and how they could be implemented and monitored. It is important that those aspects are considered.

Officials might want to touch on the work of the working group, but, before I hand over, I will highlight some of the other initiatives that we are working on. We have a ministerial task force on population, which is due to meet this month. That involves working across Government to consider all those issues.

We have also announced that we will be taking forward a rural visa pilot scheme. That was agreed by Sajid Javid when he was the Home Secretary, based on the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee. In countries all over the world, different means and methods are used in relation to migration. Therefore, we have established a working group to start to develop pilot proposals. The reasons behind depopulation are multifaceted and complex, so we need to ensure that we get to grips with all the data and try different initiatives to find a solution that will work for rural communities in Scotland.

I will hand over to the officials in case they have anything to add.