Would you move to an island for £50,000?

The Scottish government says the bonds form part of its wider commitments to support island communities

The Scottish government has proposed offering young people and families a £50,000 incentive to stay on, or move to, the islands.

The Islands Bond, part of the government's National Islands Plan, aims to tackle depopulation - a longstanding problem for many Scottish island communities. So would this help?

Kevin Morrison moved from Glasgow to South Uist in the Western Isles five years ago.

The community sports hub officer said £50,000 would have been a big help to him in terms of securing a family home.

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Explaining why he moved to the isles, Kevin told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland: "My wife is originally from South Uist and we were talking about having a family. We discussed the possibility of moving to the islands."

The move saw the couple giving up their full-time jobs, with Kevin taking up a part-time job in South Uist.

"We took the plunge and haven't regretted it," said Kevin.

But he said finding a home was a challenge and they only got one through "some luck" and buying privately.

Of the idea of a £50,000 incentive, Kevin said: "It would definitely have been handy at the time. The main issues for island communities are around transport to and from the islands, and housing."

Iain Stephen Morrison says there is no shortage of people who want to move to the islands

The Scottish government intends to launch the Islands Bond next year, with 100 bonds offered at a cost of £5m.

Iain Stephen Morrison, editor of Western Isles news and information service Am Pàipear, said the money could be better spent on improving infrastructure or transport or creating jobs and making more land available for affordable housing.

He said: "I think I understand the thinking behind the idea but in truth I don't particularly like the idea. I think it is going to have a pretty limited impact.

Scotland has more than 90 inhabited islands and there are communities spread across areas including the Western Isles, Highlands, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute.

"There are a lot of islands in Scotland. There is going to be competition for this across the islands so we have to keep the amount in perspective," said Iain Stephen.

He added: "There is no shortage of demand from people to move to the islands. What is lacking is opportunity - whether that is housing or jobs."

A consultation on how the plan will be implemented will run until 24 October.

Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the bonds would help the government to deliver on some of its National Islands Plan commitments.

She said: "It's a way for us to address some of the key financial barriers for people who want to live on our islands.

"I'd encourage people across Scotland, especially those on our islands, to provide a response to this consultation and make sure their voices are heard to help shape the bond."