Chamber and committees

I would like to use amendments at stage 2 to explore the issue of defining what the Scots language is. There are umbrella terms. In his evidence to the committee, Bruce Eunson said that the umbrella term “Scots” includes variants from across Scotland that differ depending on whether you are in Stranraer or Stromness. As we move forward, we could look at how the bill could further define the language. That point was also included in the evidence submitted by Time for Inclusive Education.

On what the member says about measuring success, there is one thing that I think might be useful. The census used to ask, “Do you speak Scots?”, but now it asks people whether they read, write, understand and speak Scots. Could we perhaps use those results as a measurement of success?

As co-convener of the cross-party group on the Scots language, and as a long-standing proponent of the Scots language, I welcome the fact that we have now reached the stage 1 debate on the Scottish Languages Bill.

At the outset, I thank the cabinet secretary for her engagement in meeting me and other members last week, and for her commitment to continuing to work on a cross-party basis to ensure that we get the bill right for all of Scotland’s Scots and Gaelic speakers. I also thank the Open University in Scotland and all the members of the Scots language cross-party group for their engagement regarding the bill. I welcome Dr Sylvia Warnecke to the public gallery of the chamber—thank you for being here.

Just on Saturday, I attended the Scots language awards in Cumnock’s toon hall. The breadth of talent and the dedication and commitment to preparing, shaping and advancing Scots were absolutely clear. That there is so much love for our Scots language was so evident in the performances and the words of the presenters at the awards on Saturday. Hands Up for Trad and everyone involved deserve huge recognition for that.

Today, I will focus my comments on the areas in which I would like the bill to be strengthened. One of the key policy objectives of the bill is

“to provide further support for the Scots language and improve its status, profile and use ... in public life”

and in our diverse communities, with the many variants of Scots that are spoken in those communities. A lot of work is already being done in the areas of housing and transport, which was mentioned in evidence at the Education, Children and Young People Committee. I think that the Deputy First Minister said earlier that, for example, when we build new housing, the street names could be named using Scots or Gaelic words, so that we can further enhance awareness and put the language out there right in everybody’s face when they drive into their new street.

The Scottish Government has consistently recognised that the Scots language is an important part of Scotland’s heritage, culture and national identity, but it is fair to say that the recognition could go further. A key discussion point that is consistently brought up at the cross-party group and by those who are involved in the Scots community is the need to tackle the stigma and discrimination that Scots speakers face. I have experienced that myself, and I know that other people have, too. When growing up, like many others, we would often be told to speak English, to speak properly and to stop speaking slang, and we hear that such comments are still prevalent today.

To highlight that stigma and discrimination, I note that, last year, when I invited prominent Scots author and broadcaster Billy Kay to present Parliament’s time for reflection in Scots, there was a huge backlash of negativity on social media. I therefore welcome the statement in section 26 of the bill that the Scots language will receive “official status in Scotland.” It is the first time that legislation has made a statement about the status of the Scots language.

I need to carry on.

Section 27 of the bill requires the Scottish ministers to

“prepare a Scots language strategy”

and sets out the required content of that strategy, along with the consultation and publication requirements and timescales for its preparation, review and revision. The provision in the bill to prepare that strategy will give importance to those priorities and to the work that Scots bodies and other authorities do to make progress on them.

I have a couple more points to make. Section 31 of the bill requires the Scottish ministers to

“promote, facilitate and support Scots language education in schools”,

which means that education authorities must also do that in the schools that they manage. There have already been some fantastic examples of that in Dumfries and Galloway, including at Troqueer primary school in Dumfries.

In preparing that guidance, the Scottish ministers must consult interested persons, who might include, for example, the Scots Language Centre—which has already been mentioned—Scots Hoose or Yaldi Books. That work will ensure that young people are exposed to Scots from an early age, and it should help to tackle some of the stigma surrounding the Scots language.

I have one ask—this issue was raised by the Open University—which is that the bill should place a statutory duty on public bodies in relation to their use of Scots, as is already the case for Gaelic. I would welcome further discussion of that with the cabinet secretary.

It is right that we are now providing greater recognition of the Scots language in education. As I said to the cabinet secretary, the bill is important in recognising how the history, heritage and culture of all our communities relate to Scots. I will support the bill at stage 1, and I look forward to working with the cabinet secretary as we move forward.

The cabinet secretary has, rightly, mentioned the fact that the workforce at Grangemouth is highly experienced and has vital transferable skills and expertise that could be used in other parts of the energy sector. Can she provide further detail on how the Government can support the affected workers in finding new employment?

My understanding is that the language of the Parliament in Scotland was Scots right up to the 16th century; then it was decided that it should be Latin. It is not an oral tradition. Will Stephen Kerr not consider the history and the heritage of the evolution of the Scots language?

Will the member take an intervention?

You said that Scots comes from northern English. My understanding is that Scots is a west Germanic language, so it comes from the same family as English, Dutch, Flemish, Frisian and German. I just want to make sure that I heard you correctly.

The cabinet secretary spoke about alcohol and drug partnerships. Will he confirm that the Scottish Government has positive relationships with ADPs across the country, particularly in Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders, and say how their crucial work will continue to be supported and encouraged?

It was claimed that exit from the EU would reduce red tape. Do such challenges show that there is actually more red tape? That sort of thing should be sorted as a matter of urgency.