The island will host public meetings and ministerial engagements, as well as the Cabinet meeting itself, on August 23 and 24, near the end of the Scottish Parliament's summer recess.

Exact details will be announced later, but the visit will feature formal meeting of the Scottish Cabinet, a public meeting giving the chance to formally question ministers and take part in informal discussion afterwards, and a reception to mark the Year of Food and Drink, celebrating the local promotion and production of Scottish products.

The cabinet will also follow a similar programme on visits to Dornoch, Stirling and Kilmarnock during this summer's tour.

Bute's constituency MSP, Jim Mather, who is also the enterprise, energy and tourism minister, said: "The Government is keen for all Scots to relate to their parliament and the choice of venues over the three years of operation have taken in urban, rural and island locations.

"The alternative to this is that the cabinet would always meet in Edinburgh. We genuinely believe that the tour is good for the electors and also for members of the cabinet to widen the scope of their operation."

This will be the third year of the cabinet's summer tour - in 2008 Dumfries, Inverness, Pitlochry and Skye were included on the itinerary, and last year ministers visited Dundee, Melrose, Lewis, Aberdeen and Glasgow.