Isles of Scilly Spring Visit – May 2025

Just back from my spring visit to catch up with matters; too many to adequately do justice to here, but I’ll make brief reference…

For me, one of the enormous pleasures of the job is to meet future potential leaders. Those to carry on the work wherever I and others leave off. And what thoughtful, bright, engaged, wise-before-their-years and pleasant young people were year-10 students: Gabriel, Jenny and Edward at the Five Islands Academy who I met during my visit to the school.

I also met hundreds of other people and soaked up what I could from all that I was told. One Scillonian, who is an integral part of the very epicentre of life on the islands – and who shares a notable heritage going back many centuries on the Islands – confided that since childhood s/he’s had to move home (though many were sheds or worse) more than 60 times s/he is about a decade younger than me, so s/he’s had to move home on average more than once a year! S/he lives with partner (another key worker) and family in overcrowded, expensive and insecure accommodation, as before. This is the lot of far too many islanders. I’ve raised these matters with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook and will work hard to find solutions (as i have and succeeded to some extent before), though I’m aware there are many who’ve strived and failed on that road before.

Transport and the unaffordability of it – not just to and from the islands, but inter-island transport. I’ve raised the matter of parity with other islands (most directly comparable are Scottish islands) before and have asked the Maritime transport Minister – Mike Kane – to explore options with me. More on that in future…

The provision of Post-16 education is always a challenge for islanders, because hardly any of it can be provided on the islands, so most have to leave the islands at 16 to continue their studies. I’ve added more notes on this below, as it’s evident from the comments received that my limited summary was insufficient to address all the questions and comments made…

I was pleased to visit two major construction projects: at the new hospital and care home (a £20m project which it’s hoped will be completed this autumn). Brilliant work going on there and will be a wonderful service when complete. The other is the Old Town Hall project which will provide an exceptional arts and cultural centre for the islands, a new home for the museum (which had to close a few years ago) and a facility for community events. Again nearly £20m of investment. So, in that sense only, the Islands continue to earn their descriptor as ‘The Fortunate Isles’.

Fortunately I also managed to catch a brief visit to the Scilly Folk Festival (still going on this weekend). Wonderful and brilliantly talented local musicians from Scilly and west Cornwall on display at the outstanding Old Town Inn – Scilly Luckily for the audience i wasn’t asked to do a rendition of the many old dirges I remember!

Back on the Scillonian III Appreciation Group this morning. The three hour crossing was remarkably calm. Probably as calm a crossing as any I’ve experienced!

A few notes. More work to follow…

Postscript on Post-16 education:

It’s now of course mandatory for all 16-18 yr olds, and for most (if not all in each year group) that means leaving the Islands at just 16 years of age. Last time I was MP, we sorted the matter, but that was over 25 years ago. When elected last July I’d already asserted my determination that Scillonian students should receive parity with mainland students in terms of access and opportunity. Understandably, feelings have run very high. Parents have taken the Council to court. Though this delayed my ability to promote their case with government, I respected their wish to follow that course.

During last autumn I informed government Ministers that I would attempt to bridge the substantial gap between the Council’s chosen position and that of campaigning parents. However, as I explained to the Minister, “I regret it has not been possible to secure an agreeable compromise where a united ‘alternative agreement’ can be presented [to government] on behalf of all stakeholders. The position adopted by parents…who are mounting a campaign for more generous resolution could not be reconciled with that of the Council”. I therefore made representations to government Ministers to move the offer as close to that of the parents has requested as would be achievable and deliverable in those circumstances, and in the meantime have met Minister Baroness (Jacqui) Smith, and in the interim, secured a further small (but still insufficient) rise in government funding.

My key asks are to ensure that students don’t just get all aspects of travel to the mainland properly funded, but that government should recognise that the ‘digs’ on offer should be regulated, subject to proper review, DBS check and accreditation, and that a greater effort is made to ensure this offer provides a sufficient range and choice of accommodation offers. It’s not the case at present. Additionally, Island students need assurance re. safeguarding and that proper pastoral care support is in place and offered to students. These, and a request that travel support to attend the mainland to view chosen colleges during the year before taking up a place, have all been part of my proposal to the Minister last autumn and which I can and will now advance. We’re not there yet, but I’m determined to make progress now it seems the judicial process has run its course. Thanks to all those who’ve contributed constructive suggestions and proposals in what is a fraught and very difficult challenge, not least for the students.