Call for islands to be given dedicated Holyrood minister

SCOTLAND'S islands should have their own government minister to address their particular needs, including high travel costs, a conference heard yesterday.

About 200 delegates from Scotland, Finland, Sweden, France, Denmark, Ireland, Greece and Italy are attending the European conference on small islands in Islay. They heard that islands face problems providing essential services in the face of high-cost barriers.

The call came as George Lyon, the depute finance minister, suggested extending to ferries an air discount scheme, introduced by the Scottish Executive to give islanders cheaper flights.

Ian Gillies, convener of the Scottish Islands Network, which is hosting the conference, told delegates: "Islands need special status within government. We might never expect to realise the full potential of our islands unless they are represented at the highest level within the Scottish parliament by a minister responsible for their development, fate and future."

He was supported by Duncan MacIntyre, head of transportation in Argyll and Bute Council, who said: "To be able to maintain the momentum with the other islands of Europe, we need to have a special status for Scottish islands, and this is why the best way forward is to promote an office for an island minister."

Fergus Ewing, the SNP's transport spokesman, also supported the idea of a ministerial post for the islands.

Ireland is seen as a model, with a dedicated island section set up within the Irish rural affairs department and senior civil servants having responsibility for island development.

Mairead O'Reilly, the programmes manager with Comhdhil Oilein na hireann (the Irish Islands Federation), said: "Having a dedicated island section within the Irish government means that the civil servants can inform the other agencies responsible for development and delivering services to the islands.

"The fact that the island section has direct responsibility for ferry services, helps a lot: a maximum return fare of 8 [5.40] for all islanders has been introduced."

John Morgan, of Galway County Council, said the biggest advantage in having a minister with an island portfolio was having direct access to government funding. He said: "You can have the best plans in the world, but it still takes somebody at government level to implement them."

Last month, Jack McConnell, the First Minister, backed a plan at the Highlands and Islands Convention for a "New Deal" for islands.

The proposal, put forward by Willy Roe, chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, seeks to put island residents on a more equal footing with city-dwellers through fresh investments to help sustain populations, create jobs and provide better housing and transport links, as well as improved health and education facilities.