What it plans to do to reverse the population decline in the Western Isles.

The Executive is committed to tackling the causes of population decline through initiatives targeted at rural communities across Scotland. In the Western Isles, the Executive supports economic development through Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Western Isles Enterprise. The range of specific measures taken by the Executive in the Western Isles include: support for the latest IT infrastructure; support for new businesses, and improving rural transport with substantial spending on infrastructure projects such as the Eriskay causeway. Wider programmes, such as Iomairt aig an Oir (the Initiative at the Edge) and grants for community land purchase, are also boosting the local economy and creating jobs.