Meeting of the Parliament 16 March 2016
Madainn mhath, Oifigeir-riaghlaidh, agus madainn mhath co-obraichean. Tha mi a’ cur luach air a’ chothrom a bhith a’ toirt atharrachadh co-cheangailte ris a’ Ghàidhlig dhan t-seòmar-deasbaid, airson dèiligeadh ri duilgheadas bho atharrachadh agam aig ìre 2, a dhèanamh cinnteach gu bheil co-dhiù aon neach-labhairt na Gàidhlig air coimisean ùr ath-leasachaidh an fhearainn.
Rather than crucify our indigenous language any further, I will continue in English. For the record, what I was trying to say in Gaelic was: good morning, Presiding Officer, and good morning colleagues. I appreciate the opportunity to bring this Gaelic-related amendment to the chamber, which will deal with a problem arising from my stage 2 amendment on ensuring that there is at least one Gaelic speaker on the new Scottish land commission.
That stage 2 amendment inserted into section 9 new subsection (1A), which states:
“In appointing the Land Commissioners, the Scottish Ministers must take every reasonable step to ensure that one of the Commissioners is a speaker of the Gaelic language.”
Although the Scottish Government welcomed the amendment at stage 2, it considered, on reviewing the text, that it could be interpreted as meaning that the Scottish ministers needed to take reasonable steps to ensure that only one land commissioner was a Gaelic speaker. That might cause practical issues when making appointments, and, in a scenario in which more than one Gaelic speaker applied for the role of commissioner, the provision could be read as meaning that Scottish ministers should not appoint a second Gaelic speaker.
To remedy that, amendment 2, in my name, inserts the words “at least” into section 9(1A), so that it now reads:
“In appointing the Land Commissioners, Scottish Ministers must take every reasonable step to ensure that at least one of the Commissioners is a speaker of the Gaelic language.”
The amendment therefore brings the new Scottish land commission in line with precedents already set at the Scottish Land Court and by the Crofting Commission.