Overview of the Act Guidance and reporting Section 11 – Guidance about section 7 duty
26.Subsection (1) of this section gives the Scottish Ministers a power to issue guidance about the duty imposed by section 7 and places a corresponding obligation on relevant authorities to have regard to any such guidance in their decision-making.
27.Subsection (2) requires the Scottish Ministers to consult the local authorities listed in the schedule to the Act, persons representing the interests of island communities and other persons they consider appropriate before they issue any such guidance. The consultation requirements here mirror those in section 4(1) of the Act for the preparation of the national islands plan.