Chamber and committees

The report that you mentioned generated headlines that referenced “apocalyptic” conditions for the industry. That is not the just transition that we believe in. We stand squarely behind the industry as it seeks to transition.

On our policy objectives, we will not do anything that risks 100,000 jobs, as others propose to do. We just will not do it. We have long talked of the just transition. There are two words in that phrase. First, it must be just: it must support people and workers and it cannot leave people behind. Also, it is a transition. We have never proposed to turn the taps off or to apply other policies that threaten the existence of an industry that is key to the north-east.

Your question was about how we can rebuild confidence. We can do so in a number of ways. First, we can do it by ensuring that there is clarity in our objectives, aims and policies. That means working with the industry and walking with it as it invests in green industry. However, that is a process: it is about looking at planning and consenting.

As you know, the most important levers are not within our control. We have never disagreed that there should be a proportionate windfall tax, but when it poses a risk to 100,000 jobs, that is a problem. Those levers are obviously with the UK Government, but we want to work constructively, stand for Scottish industry and jobs and make it clear when policies threaten those jobs.

Okay.

I followed what was happening in Wales closely long before I had this job. I recall a conversation with the then Welsh language minister, who said that their having ambitious targets and an ambitious deadline, as it were, had focused minds.

I am in two minds about targets. They can be quite dangerous, because they end up focusing a lot of money and attention on particular areas that might be successful but do not reveal the breadth of the issue. Ultimately, my aim is that we have a significant increase in the number of speakers, who will have depth of skills in the language. Having skills in Gaelic might be being able to say “Madainn mhath,” or it might be the language being someone’s heart language. My aim is to have a substantial increase year on year, and to stop depopulation of, and the reduction in Gaelic speakers in, more traditional communities.

If you look at what the requirements are for Scots, you will see that the bill places a duty on the Scottish ministers and education authorities to

“promote ... and support Scots language education in schools.”

Take that as an example. Some of that will probably be happening already, if you recall your primary school years and what you may have had to read, or not read—I do not know—

It is a nice problem to have. Your point about Edinburgh could be echoed in Inverness and Fort William, which is precisely why we are working to expand provision.

I ask Claire to come in on what we are doing to expand capacity.

Mòran taing, agus madainn mhath a bhuill.

Tha e na urram mòr dhomh gun deach mo chur an dreuchd mar Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh agus Gàidhlig, a thuilleadh air na dleastanasan eile a th’ agam. Tha uallach glè shònraichte aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba—[Interruption.]

I would not be content with a bill that is just symbolic. The protection that the bill will give the rights of a minority language is not just symbolic; it is very meaningful. Enshrining rights needs to lead to action. The actions of public bodies and communities will make the biggest difference.

It is an excellent idea that we consider how to adapt what already exists. At the moment, Bòrd na Gàidhlig has to report to ministers and Parliament. Your point about scrutiny is well made. If the committee has some good ideas in its stage 1 report about how to establish that scrutiny and to make it slightly broader by saying what should be reported, I would be very open to that.

I do not think that that will have any implications, as it were, for Scots. Obviously, the bill is pretty important for legal recognition of Scots, so it is not exclusive. After all, if ministerial titles referenced everything that we were responsible for, they would be quite lengthy.

What was the second part of your question again?

I hope that you will hear Gaelic being spoken the minute you step off the boat, because it is a living, breathing language for those individuals. It remains living and breathing, because when they go into a local shop, go to church or whatever, they do whatever they do in Gaelic. They feel that they can live their lives entirely through the medium that they choose to live in. That is the difference that I hope you will see.

I favour a local-led process. It is not for me to tell the Western Isles what or what not to do, but I am very supportive of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Gaelic first approach in some policy areas. Indeed, I support it when it comes to everything that you see.