Chamber and committees

Yes.

It is welcome to hear the update that the cabinet secretary is working really well with the A77 action group. Will she clarify that, although overnight closures of the roads are extremely frustrating, they are necessary to ensure the maintenance of critical infrastructure routes such as the A77? Will she highlight how the A77 has been improved in recent years as a result of action taken by the Scottish National Party?

I have been working with a family in Wigtownshire who are in the same position as many others, in that a contact order was given by a sheriff for a father to have contact with his son months ago, but that order is still not being complied with. The minister will know that I have corresponded with her on the issue, but will she agree to meet me to explore whether a change could be made to the law that would compel a party to comply with a court order in a Scottish family court as in criminal cases?

I engaged with the Scots language community when we discussed amendments to propose. There has been no direct discussion with ADES and teachers, but I have engaged with members of the Scots language community, who I believe are experts in Scots.

I encourage members to support amendments 69, 71 and 74.

Amendment 69 agreed to.

There is nothing to add. I recognise that Scots is spoken in a variety of ways and in different dialects in different parts of Scotland. I urge colleagues to support the amendments in the group.

Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure to be here, and I thank you for the opportunity to move these important amendments.

I thank the many Scots organisations and individuals who have been so helpful to me and who support our Scots language cross-party group, which I co-convene. The organisations include the Scots Language Centre, Oor Vyce, the Scots Language Society and the Open University in Scotland. Many individuals are associated with those organisations, and I must include Bruce Eunson, Dr Sylvia Warnecke and Dr Michael Dempster. All have made invaluable contributions to promoting Scots, both at the CPG and in providing input for me on the bill.

At stage 1, there was discussion about whether the term “Scots” includes the different dialects of the Scots language that are used in the different parts of Scotland—for instance, the north-east dialect, which is also called the Doric—so I am keen to introduce my amendments in this group.

My amendments seek to reassure the Scots language community on that point—not by changing the definition of “Scots” in an exhaustive way that could, inadvertently, exclude something, but by focusing on the substantive sections of part 2 of the bill. Amendment 69 makes it clear that the Scottish ministers’ objectives for the promotion of Scots in the Scots language strategy are to include the different dialects of Scots that are used in the different parts of Scotland.

Amendment 71 clarifies that, likewise, the Scottish ministers’ power to give guidance to public authorities on the promotion of Scots includes the different dialects of Scots.

Section 31 of the bill places an education authority under a duty to

“promote, facilitate and support Scots language education”.

Amendment 74 makes it clear that the education authority

“may discharge its functions relating to Scots language education through teaching and learning in the dialect of the Scots language most relevant to its area.”

For instance, in the north-east of Scotland, Doric would be the most relevant.

I hope that that provides some reassurance for all stakeholders, and I ask the committee to support my amendments in this group.

I move amendment 69.

It is welcome that the 2025-26 budget provides local government in Scotland with a £1 billion uplift and record funding. Will the cabinet secretary further outline how that additional investment will address key local priorities and deliver the public services that people need and deserve?

I have a wee supplementary question about historical graveyards. I have a colleague who has 15 family members in an old graveyard in Moniaive. She learned about the regulations coming down the line and she is worried about how communication will take place with her and other members of the public who have historical links to old gravestones, for example on Victorian sites. What is the best way for information to be communicated about and to those who are responsible, whether that is the local authority or members of the public?

There are challenges in rural areas. You mentioned Dumfries and Galloway. I know that Moffat accepted the Scottish dental access initiative and 2,000 people were registered; however, that is a small number in terms of the whole of Dumfries and Galloway.

There are challenges with recruitment, including rural recruitment, and challenges about accessing dentists who may have trained in Europe, to get them to come here. Is that also part of the challenge?

Most of my questions on dental reform have been covered already. Minister, I am interested in hearing about remuneration packages for dentists as a way of encouraging more graduates, for example, to choose dentistry. Would you consider reviewing remuneration packages again?