[1] On 17 June 2013, leaders of the three island councils launched "Our Islands, Our Future", setting out an agenda for:[2] On 25 July 2013 Scottish Government announced the Lerwick Declaration, which revealed that a ministerial working group would examine the prospect of decentralising power to Shetland, Orkney, and the Western Isles.

[4] In August 2014, the UK Government released a document describing building transmission lines to the islands and improving postal services, digital connectivity and fuel poverty[5] In November 2014, the UK Government held meetings with the three councils in Edinburgh through the Scotland Office.

[6] In 2015 the Scottish Government called for views on devolution of power to Scotland's islands.

[9][15][16][17] The Scottish Parliament constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar is given a protected status.

[9] Certain wards such as Ardrossan and Arran and Kilbirnie and Beith have been abolished and others such as Garnock Valley have been created due to the change in the requirements for boundaries.

[9] The Act allows island councils to make "additional power requests" under regulations to be published by the Scottish Government - a draft Scottish statutory instrument must be published within one year of the Act receiving Royal assent, implementing the regulations for these requests.