Islanders who have been selected are being encouraged to take part in a survey being conducted by Ipsos for the Scottish Government.
Around 20,000 residents of islands are being contacted about their views of living and working in island communities.
Chris Martin, Research Director of Ipsos Scotland said:
“If you’ve been invited to take part in the Scottish Islands Survey, please do so. Islanders know their communities best. Every response helps ensure the voices and experiences of island communities are reflected in the evidence used to inform future decisions.”
Previous surveys took place in 2020 and 2023. Islands Minister in the Scottish Government Jim Fairlie said that the survey, “provides island-specific data to inform and monitor our policies, not least the implementation of our new National Islands Plan.”
The second National Islands Plan was published in February 2026, the first one being published in 2019.
Population retention and attraction is the key and overarching objective of this new Plan. – National Islands Plan
Support for the Orcadian language is just one of the key areas of focus in the second Islands Plan published by the Scottish Government. Community Wealth Building – strengthening the local Orkney economy – is a central feature of the revised Plan.
Luke Fraser, Chair of the Scottish Islands Federation, said:
“Scotland’s islands are diverse, with each community facing its own challenges and opportunities. The Scottish Islands Survey is an important opportunity to capture these different experiences and ensure that the voices of islanders help shape future decisions that will impact our islands and their long-term sustainability.
“We encourage those invited to take part and hope the findings will lead to policies and investment that make a real difference to island communities.”
The results of the survey will be published next year.
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