Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 27 Jun 2001

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 27, 2001

Official Report 135KB pdf

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Gaelic Broadcasting

We now come to item 4. Mike Russell is not able to be with us today, and I suggest that we move this item to our first meeting after the recess.

I have had informal discussions with Michael Russell. He has indicated that there might be a need to hear from one or two more witnesses, but he suggests that we proceed quickly with a report thereafter.

The report seems to be becoming much bigger than was envisaged, as is the committee's wont with reports. We have had two full days of evidence on the matter. It has been suggested that we take more evidence, but I am not minded to do so, unless members are desperate to hear more about Gaelic broadcasting. Are you aware of Mike Russell's view, Irene?

I should really try to represent him.

You "should", you say, with a smile on your face.

I should indeed. The reason why Mike Russell is suggesting that we have just a little bit more evidence is that there has been a significant development: reference was made in the Queen's speech to a dedicated Gaelic channel. That can be treated as new information. Mike felt that it would be worth spending an additional half day on this, with one or two additional people being called to give evidence. If that could be done in September, Mike hopes that a report could be completed before the October recess. The term between the summer and autumn recesses is very short.

That is Mike Russell's proposal to take account of a new development, and to include people that we have not heard from yet, including the Gaelic parents group, Comann nam Pàrant, and the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and Gaelic. To summarise, Mike Russell suggested including—if possible—half a day of evidence-taking, but with a definite finish to the inquiry by October, in order to include those additional elements.

When he says half a day, does he mean an hour?

My only reluctance about the proposal is that Westminster is taking forward the issue of a dedicated channel, and that it is for its members to decide on that and progress the debate. I did not understand that that was the focus of our inquiry, and we need to be clear about what we are doing as a result of the announcement contained in the Queen's speech. We have had considerable evidence about the need for a dedicated Gaelic channel. We need to pull that together.

That is why Mike Russell thought that our minister should come to clarify what is happening at a United Kingdom level.

Which minister?

Alasdair Morrison. He should come to clarify what he understands to be the way forward at a UK level and how that fits with the Scottish Executive's plans for the development of Gaelic.

You are right, convener. We heard a lot of discussion on a dedicated channel for Gaelic. Although that was not the primary focus of our investigation, a lot of our time in Stornoway was spent hearing about the pros and cons of such a channel.

I suggest a compromise position. I suggest that we have a session with Alasdair Morrison to consider how to pull the evidence together. We have had considerable evidence from individuals. We can accept more written evidence—from the National Gaelic Parents Association, for example.

I accept that it would be useful to hear from the minister. However, to open the discussion up, we would need another whole committee day. I am not certain that we can justify that. I suggest that we have Alasdair Morrison along to the committee to finalise the evidence taking and allow Mike Russell to prepare a report for the committee.

The nature of taking evidence is that we start off with one agenda. We then take evidence from people who take us down other routes and have other issues that they want to discuss. In my investigation at the weekend in Dingwall I found myself being lobbied by all sorts of people who wanted to talk about Gaelic broadcasting.

It makes sense and is important that the minister come to the committee whether or not that was our intention at the start of the inquiry. Those who are involved in Gaelic broadcasting are interested in how the inquiry develops. They expect that something will happen from our evidence taking. It makes sense to have the minister and get his perspective.

I was pleased to hear the announcement in the Queen's speech.

I am happy with that approach.

I ask the committee for advice. I have been asked to have a 15 to 20-minute session with John Angus Mackay from the Comataidh Craolaidh Gàidhlig at some point when he is in Edinburgh over the summer recess. I am interested to know whether committee members think that it would be okay for me to go ahead with that. I would certainly report back to the committee, if I were to meet him, on what was said. Is that okay? I did not want to do it in the course of our inquiry when we were taking evidence.

Members indicated agreement.