Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s priority for Gaelic is to secure an increase in the number of people learning, speaking and using the language in Scotland. Scottish public authorities have a vital role in this and their policies and programmes can significantly shape the future of Gaelic in Scotland.

Gaelic Language Plans are the principal mechanism used to encourage Scottish public authorities to use and promote Gaelic. Under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 Bòrd na Gidhlig can notify a Scottish public authority to produce a Gaelic Language Plan. Gaelic Language Plan commitments are strongly linked to the priorities in the National Gaelic Language Plan which sets out how the Government, Bòrd na Gidhlig and Scottish public authorities should work together for the promotion of the language.

All public authorities with an approved Gaelic Language Plan are asked to submit an annual progress report to the Bòrd in relation to the key commitments in their plan.  In addition, the Bòrd commissions an independent assessment of progress towards achieving the core commitments in plans which are 3 years into their cycle. These two actions are the key measures of success which the Bòrd employs.

The implementation of a Gaelic Language Plan is the responsibility of the public authority and people who are concerned that the public authority may be disregarding its Gaelic Language Plan should raise this in the first instance with the public authority. If no resolution is reached, they may contact Bòrd na Gidhlig who would take this into account as part of their monitoring arrangements.

There are measures in place should a Scottish public authority not pursue the terms of their Gaelic language plan. The Bòrd may submit a report to Scottish ministers setting out its reason for this conclusion. Thereafter Scottish Ministers may either lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament or they may direct the authority in question to implement any or all of the measures in its Gaelic language plan by the date specified in the direction.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S4W-13423 on 15 March 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government would like to see an expansion of Gaelic medium education in secondary schools. In 2012-13 there were a total of twelve subjects taught through the medium of Gaelic in Scottish schools in both S1 and S2. In S3 and S4 there were eight subjects taught through the medium of Gaelic and in S5 this dropped to four and in S6 to two.

In total there are thirteen 13 subjects (including Gaelic as a subject) taught through the medium of Gaelic. These are: Gaelic, English, Religious Education, Geography, History, Home Economics, French, Personal and Social Education, Maths, Modern Studies, Physical Education, Science and Technology.

Subjects presented by school and local authority area are set out in the following table.

Subjects presented by year are set out in the following table (where numbers are less than 10, the data is not given for data protection reasons).

Cairngorms National Park Authority recognises that Gaelic is an integral and important part of the culture of the National Park and encourages its partners to support the Gaelic language. The Park Authority’s commitment to promoting Gaelic is set out in its Gaelic Language Plan as required by the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

While the Park Authority has the ability to manage the use of the Gaelic language in relation to its own assets and resources, it has no authority to compel its partners, including private land owners, local authorities, public bodies and community groups, to take similar action.

Through its National Park Partnership Plan the Park seeks to deliver a broad range of agreed and co-ordinated action which supports the continued development of the Park and delivery of Scottish Government objectives.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority submitted a draft Gaelic Language Plan to Bòrd na Gidhlig for approval in February 2011. A copy of the draft Plan is available on the Park’s website at:

http://cairngorms.co.uk/park-authority/about-us/publications

Following discussion with Bòrd na Gidhlig, the Park Authority submitted a revised draft for approval in January 2013. Once this is approved, and we anticipate a decision in the near future, the final version of the Plan will be published on the Park’s website.

Transport Scotland is responsible for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network on behalf of Scottish Ministers and implements the policy of the Scottish Government in terms of bilingual signs. This policy is that bilingual signs should be installed on all trunk roads in the north west of Scotland, including the A82. Unfortunately, there are numerous technical challenges in implementing this infrastructure in the urban area of Inverness. A study and re-design of all trunk road signs in Inverness has been completed, however any implementation will be subject to available funding and competing priorities across the Scottish trunk road network. A decision was taken not to include bilingual signs on the A82 approach to Longman as part of the recent improvement, for reasons of consistency and cost, however these signs will be replaced when funding levels allow.

As part of the advanced preparation works connected with the resurfacing of A9 Kessock Bridge, our operating company, Scotland TranServ, redesigned the layout of the Longman roundabout, including the introduction of traffic lights and a dedicated left-turn lane from Stadium Road. It was necessary to modify existing signing on the A9 to reflect these new arrangements. The most cost-effective method was to amend the existing signs by affixing plates. There are no new signs on the A9.

As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland is covered by the provisions of the Gaelic Language Plan which was published in 2010.

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 enabled Bòrd na Gidhlig (the Scottish Government’s principal Gaelic development body) to require public bodies to prepare Gaelic Language Plans. The Scottish Government’s Gaelic Language Plan was published in 2010.

As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government Transport Scotland is covered by the provisions of the Gaelic Language Plan.

The current Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan is a five year plan which will be renewed in 2015. We are pleased that many commitments have been met and our policies continue to develop to support Gaelic. Road signage is one of these and we are now working to expand the use of the language in this area. We will begin initial renewal work of our plan later this year.

In the meantime, as an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland is covered by the provisions of the Gaelic Language Plan.

The Scottish Government provides support and funding to the National Collections bodies, National Records Scotland and Historic Scotland, all of whom have procedures in place which allow them to identify items of Scottish historical interest for possible purchase.

In addition, the Scottish Government helps local museums and galleries to make purchases through funding for the National Fund for Acquisitions, which is administered by National Museums Scotland.