Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2026 to Question 3126 on Shipping: UK Emissions Trading Scheme, what criteria her Department uses to define the unique challenges faced by Scottish island communities in accessing essential goods and services; and whether she has made an assessment of the applicability of those criteria to the Isle of Wight.

There are over 90 inhabited island and peninsula communities in Scotland that rely on ferry services, each with distinct geographic contexts and with populations ranging from fewer than 10 to just over 21,000 inhabitants. These communities are reliant on ferries for access to essential goods, healthcare, education, and employment. Any disruption or additional burden placed upon these ferry services risks undermining the social and economic viability of island and peninsula communities. Such impacts can contribute to further population decline and reduced resilience in areas already facing demographic and geographic challenges. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

The decision to not extend this exemption to the Isle of Wight reflects the Government’s assessment that the Isle of Wight has a larger population and greater access to essential services, as well as three ferry operators providing a variety of routes and services for passengers.