SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed new targeted funding of £4.1 million for projects across Scotland’s islands, including four initiatives in the Western Isles, which will further boost tourism and improve community assets.

This latest round of funding from the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme will benefit 13 island projects, including (in the Western Isles) the Seallam! Hebrides People Visitor Centre, Acarsaid Harbour Development in Eriskay, UHI Outer Hebrides’ Stornoway Campus, and An Taigh Mòr (built in Breasclete in the 19th century as a shore base for the lighthouse keepers to the Flannan Isles).

The funding was announced today by Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon at a conference on sustainable islands during her visit to Shetland.

From increasing support for Scotland’s crofters to investing in sustainable agriculture, the Scottish Government is working to deliver the best outcomes for Scotland’s islands, with this latest funding awards further demonstrating the SNP’s commitment to the long-term viability and growth of island communities.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan MSP said:

“I am delighted that funding totalling £765,657 will go towards four key projects in the Western Isles, announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Islands today.

“People all over the Western Isles continue to suffer from the effects of the Tory cost of living crisis, and the funding announced today comes at a critical times, with all budgets being stretched to their limit. As we navigate both the cost of living and the climate crises, we must continue to support Scotland’s rural and island communities to ensure their long-term sustainability and tackle depopulation.

“While the SNP is doing all it can to mitigate against a legacy of Tory austerity and neglect, with independence we could go so much further in our commitments, and give Scotland’s rural communities the investment they deserve.”