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For those of us who attended the reception on Thursday evening of 50 years of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the mood of celebration was aided by the news that the new Cabinet will include a Gaelic speaker, who will have responsibility for the language: she is literally someone who speaks and understands our language.
We were very buoyed up by the fact that there was a strong recovery in terms of audience experience and critical reception. However, I watched last week’s evidence session and heard the committee refer to “doughnut funding”, and I have to immediately say that the danger with that kind of outward success is that people do not realise that, under the waterlin...
That is why I hope that she will be receptive to our policies to ensure that funding follows the child, to give headteachers more powers over their schools and to empower teachers through a new deal for teachers.
Recently, we had the opportunity, at the parliamentary reception, to talk to colleagues from the committee about the pressures that we are experiencing.
The biosphere—for which I hope to host a reception here in Parliament in September—which is backed up by £1.9 million of Scottish Government funding, is already enhancing our natural environment and educating people on nature and the climate emergency.
Finally, I recently attended a Community Land Scotland parliamentary reception, which highlighted the fantastic work that is under way in Scotland to promote community ownership of land and the benefits that can be derived for local economies and communities.
As I approached one group at that reception, I noticed two men who were resplendent in the national dress of Pakistan, but I completely failed to recognise Bashir Ahmad as one of them.
On any given night, there will be four receptions going on in the Parliament. It is really good that organisations want to engage and to be here; it is not just ticking a box.