Island Minister appointed

The Scottish Government have appointed Derek Mackay MSP as the first ever Islands Minister. This is a welcomed commitment to the islands and demonstrates the high importance that the Scottish islands are to the Scottish Government.

Derek Mackay is well known to the three island councils with his extensive work on the Our Islands Our Future campaign and the installation of an Islands minister was one of the commitments made during that campaign called Empowering Scottish Islands.

SNP Councillor Gordon Murray stated: "This is an excellent new ministerial post that shows the Scottish Government's commitment to the Western Isles..

We hope that the Western Isles Council will warmly welcome the new post and also the new minister in this series of meetings. "