Committee
Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 07 Jan 2003
07 Jan 2003 · S1 · Education, Culture and Sport Committee
Item of business
Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Bruce Robertson:
Watch on SPTV
It might be helpful if I gave the committee some current facts and figures. In gross terms, Highland Council is spending £1.65 million on this matter and has received grants worth about £650,000. Unlike some other authorities, we are spending way above the grant allocation. However, that is something that we are prepared to do.Highland Council has 45 schools, with more than 1,100 pupils and 74 teachers, involved in Gaelic-medium education. We also have 54 schools teaching Gaelic as a subject, with more than 1,300 pupils and 54 teachers involved. Gaelic education is not peripheral to us; it is core business and, interestingly, is increasingly becoming core business. Through the award that the Executive gave us for our public-private partnership scheme, we will be opening Scotland's first-ever purpose-built Gaelic-medium school. Beyond being just a school, it will be a facility for the Gaelic-speaking community.We provide those services through a combination of funding streams—through the Gaelic support grant that we get from the Scottish Executive and through our own funding sources. The committee has taken evidence from Professor Meek. The Parliament will be the controlling influence on the implementation of the Meek report's recommendations, as it will give the new board its budget and it is in the gift of the Scottish Executive to determine budget rulings. In one sense, implementation of the bill could cost nothing. However, it is down to the Parliament to decide how far it is prepared to go.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
We continue to take evidence at stage 1 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill. We will take evidence first today from representatives of Highland Council. W...
Comhairliche Ailean Peutan (Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd):
Tha sinn a' toirt taing dhan chomataidh airson cuireadh a thoirt do Chomhairle na Gaidhealtachd agus airson cothrom fhaighinn air còmhradh air Bile Cànan na ...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
I thank the committee for inviting us to appear here today and for giving us the opportunity to speak in Gaelic. We are grateful to Michael Russell for intro...
The Convener:
Lab
Thank you. We move to questions from members.
Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
In the summer, I had the privilege of addressing Allan Beaton's committee. Today, I will focus first on one simple issue. This set of stage 1 hearings is des...
Councillor Beaton:
Absolutely, definitely.
Michael Russell:
SNP
Good. Let us look at the question of amendments. Do you have a view of the detailed amendments that should be lodged? What areas require amendment? As you kn...
Councillor Beaton:
Do you want to kick off, Andy?
Councillor Andrew Anderson (Highland Council):
The present Highland Council administration is about to come to an end. Our Gaelic development strategy has been developed into a Gaelic development policy, ...
Michael Russell:
SNP
The bill would form part of that backing-up process.
Councillor Anderson:
It most certainly would. The Gaelic language must have legal status. Why on earth are we—and the Scottish Parliament—arguing about that when similar things a...
Michael Russell:
SNP
How can the bill help you with general council policy?
Councillor Beaton:
As Andy Anderson said, the bill would give us the necessary backing for many things that we are already doing. For years, Highland Council has had a Gaelic s...
Michael Russell:
SNP
Turning briefly to Bruce Robertson and Morag Anna MacLeod, I want to ask whether council officials feel that the bill contains anything that would be unduly ...
Bruce Robertson (Highland Council):
As both councillors have indicated, the bill would very much underpin current council policy. When the education policy was passed a couple of months ago, it...
Councillor Beaton:
Which is no mean achievement.
Bruce Robertson:
Indeed.
Michael Russell:
SNP
That might be harder to achieve here.
Bruce Robertson:
I want to make a link with one of the Parliament's legislative achievements—the national education priorities. Committee members will be aware that Gaelic is...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Highland Council on its evident foresight in this area. I want first to ask about the bill's coverage. Much has been made of whether its provi...
Councillor Anderson:
In our written response, we say that we would like a robust, Scotland-wide bill. It is as simple as that.
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
Is the bill a stepping stone towards achieving that end, or should it be amended to ensure that it applies Scotland-wide?
Councillor Anderson:
I do not care how you get there, as long as you get there. That is the important thing.
Councillor Beaton:
Absolutely.
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
That answer was candid enough.The council has obviously carried out a lot of work in producing its language plan. The bill's financial memorandum suggests th...
Bruce Robertson:
It might be helpful if I gave the committee some current facts and figures. In gross terms, Highland Council is spending £1.65 million on this matter and has...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
In paragraph 9 of your written submission, you say that Highland Council believes that action should be taken"on issues in relation to Public Signage, i.e. r...
Councillor Beaton:
Yes. Trunk roads.
Mr Monteith:
Con
Just trunk roads?
Councillor Beaton:
Yes. Highland Council's policy on bilingual road signage is that, when signs need to be replaced and the local community wants bilingual signs, they will be ...