Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

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.