Motion S1M-02312: Irene McGugan, North East Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 17/10/2001

Scots Language Educational Materials

That the Parliament warmly welcomes the grant of £150,000 awarded to the Itchy Coo Project from the Scottish Arts Council's Lottery Children and Young People Scheme which will transform the image and status of the Scots language by providing resources for use throughout the education system from nursery to Advanced Higher level; notes that over the two years of the project, beginning in January 2002, Itchy Coo will produce sixteen Scots texts and other resources, aimed at specific age groups, including original works, both creative and non-fiction titles, as well as new and innovative versions of Scots literary texts; approves the participation of children in the way the books are developed, and the inclusion of ideas for children to write or perform creatively and that there will be an interactive web-site which will solicit and exhibit children's own language creations; notes that the project also includes a programme of in-service training for teachers and school visits from Itchy Coo authors and editors, and that the partnership will work to advance teachers' and young people's knowledge of the language and to develop their confidence in their Scots usage, and is especially pleased to note that the project will have a strong social inclusion element and take account of the needs of children and young people with disabilities and special needs; and acknowledges that this will enable thousands of young Scots to articulate and appreciate their own language and culture in ways that have seldom been available to them before; and therefore regrets that in contrast, the Minister in recent responses confirms that the Executive has set no targets for and has not formulated a policy on the numbers of Scots speakers, and deplores the fact that it does not consider any action is necessary to comply with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect of the Scots Language.

Note: The Member who lodged this motion has provided the following translation -

That the Parliament gledly welcomes the handsel o £150,000 awardit tae the Itchy Coo Project frae the Scottish Arts Cooncil's National Lottery Bairns an Young Folk Scheme which will mend the image an status o the Scots language by reddin resources for use oot-throu the education system frae nursery til advanced higher level; taks note that owre the twa year o the project, stertin in January 2002, Itchy Coo will mak sixteen Scots texts an ither resources, airted at specific age groups, includin original works, baith creative an non-fiction titles, an spang-new, innovative versions o Scots literary texts forby; approves o the pairticipation o bairns an weans in the wey the books are developit an o the inclusion o ideas for bairns an weans tae write or perform creatively, an that there will be an interactive website which will speir oot an exhibit the bairns' an weans' ain language creations; taks tent that the project includes, as weel, a programme o in-service trainin for teachers an school visits frae Itchy Coo authors an editors an that the pairtnership will work tae advance teachers' an young folk's kennin o the language an tae develop their smeddum in Scots usage, an is gey pleased tae merk that the project will hae a strang social inclusion element an tak accoont o the needs o bairns, weans an young folk wi disabilities an special needs; unnerstauns that this will enable thoosans o young Scots tae gie voice til an appreciate their ain language an culture in weys that hae seldom been available til them afore an therefore regrets that, in contrast, the Deputy Minister for Sport, the Arts and Culture in recent responses, has confirmed that the Scottish Executive has set nae targets for an hasna formulatit a policy on the nummers o Scots speakers an is scunnered wi the fact that the Scottish Executive doesna consider ony action is necessary tae compluther wi the European Chairter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect o the Scots language.

Motion S1M-01620: Irene McGugan, North East Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 01/02/2001

Robert Fergusson

That the Parliament recognises the significant contribution of the 18th century poet Robert Fergusson to Scotland's literary heritage; notes that he continued the revival of writing in the tongue of Lowland Scotland, which Allan Ramsay (1684-1758) began in the years following the Treaty of Union; notes that this in turn was taken up by Robert Burns, who had all but given up writing poetry until he read Fergusson's work and found it inspirational and that in 1768, after his visit to Edinburgh, Burns commissioned a headstone for Fergusson's hitherto unmarked grave in Canongate Kirkyard, a material symbol of his gratitude to the young makar; further notes that later Robert Louis Stevenson gave instructions that the stone should be repaired and re-inscribed because of the debt he also felt he owed to Fergusson, and commends the "Friends of Robert Fergusson" for their efforts to raise funds for the erection of a "people friendly" statue in Edinburgh's Royal Mile to commemorate this poet whose importance to Scottish literature and particularly to poetry in Scots, cannot be overstated.