Question S5W-05013: Peter Chapman, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24/11/2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports Doric language and culture in the North East Scotland parliamentary region.

Answered by John Swinney (30/11/2016): The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of the Scots language in all its regional and local variants, including Doric. We have taken a number of steps to promote Scots throughout the country including the development of our Scots language policy which underlines our commitment to the language. As part of this, we encourage relevant stakeholder groups to develop and implement Scots language policies where appropriate. In addition, we have funded a number of Scots language initiatives which are supporting Doric in the north east and Scots in other areas.

Question S5W-01552: Maree Todd, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 18/07/2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote the teaching of (a) Scots and (b) Gaelic in (i) schools and (ii) communities.

Answered by John Swinney (03/08/2016): (a)(i) The Scottish Government has appointed a number of Scots Language Co-ordinators to work in Education Scotland with the specific remit of developing and promoting the use of Scots in schools. Scottish Language Dictionaries also contributes to this work by providing high quality dictionaries on the Scots language. In 2014, they produced an app of the Essential Scots Dictionary to help children studying the Scots language Award. In 2015, the Scottish Government launched its Scots Language Policy, a key aim of which is to recognise the important role that school education has in promoting the use of Scots. The introduction of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Scottish Studies and Scots Language Awards, as well as the set Scottish texts for National 5 and Higher English courses also contribute to the promotion of Scots in schools.

(ii) In 2015, Creative Scotland published a Scots Policy which sets out its position on the Scots language and identifies ways in which it can be promoted and celebrated in the arts and in communities. This policy included the announcement of an appointment of a Scots Scriever. The Scriever works in partnership with Creative Scotland and the National Library of Scotland and is responsible for producing original creative works in Scots, as well as raising awareness, appreciation and use of Scots in communities. The Scottish Government also funds the Scots Language Centre and Scottish Language Dictionaries and both promote Scots in communities.

(b)(i) The Scottish Government is taking a number of important steps to promote Gaelic in schools. This includes providing funding to local authorities, support for teachers and provision of Gaelic resources. In 2015-16, the Scottish Government has provided grant funding totalling £4.484m to various local authorities to support costs associated with the delivery of Gaelic medium education, as well as up to £4m through the Gaelic Schools Capital Grant to support the growth of Gaelic medium education in schools. In addition, the Education (Scotland) Act 2016 contains a number of Gaelic provisions, including a duty on local authorities to promote Gaelic education, a parental right to request GME for their child where sufficient demand exists and a duty on Bòrd na Gidhlig to produce Guidance on Gaelic education.

(ii) The Scottish Government provides funding to Bòrd na Gidhlig to promote Gaelic in Scotland’s communities. This support is allocated to Gaelic organisations such as Fèisean nan Gidheal, Comunn na Gidhlig and An Comunn Gidhealach. The promotion of Gaelic in communities also features in local authority and Public Body Gaelic language plans which Bòrd na Gidhlig is also responsible for.

Question S5W-01551: Maree Todd, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 18/07/2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils will be taught (a) Scots and (b) Gaelic in 2016-17.

Answered by John Swinney (03/08/2016): (a) The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on pupils taught Scots in schools. The number of entries for the SQA’s Scots Language Award in 2015-16 was 127, though not all pupils taught Scots will be entered for a qualification in the subject.

(b) Information on pupils taught Gaelic in 2016-17 is not currently available. Statistics for 2015-16 show that there were 6,745 pupils undertaking a Gaelic learner class. In addition, Gaelic medium (GM) statistics gathered by Bòrd na Gidhlig shows that there were 1003 children in GM nursery, 3004 children in GM primary and 1193 in GM secondary.

Question S5W-01555: Maree Todd, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 18/07/2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the potential benefits are to young people of being taught Scots or Gaelic.

Answered by John Swinney (03/08/2016): The Scottish Government is clear that there are many benefits to young people being taught Scots or Gaelic. It has the potential to create a secure future for the languages in Scotland and also enriches Scottish education and cultural life. It provides language learning that appeals to families and communities and, in the case of Gaelic, provides a successful bilingual education for young people. In addition, the teaching of Gaelic and Scots provides young people with the opportunity to learn about Scotland’s culture and identity and to appreciate Scotland’s rich literary and linguistic heritage.

Question S4W-29364: Sandra White, Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19/01/2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have taken part each year in the Celtic Connections festival's education programme.

Answered by Fiona Hyslop (27/01/2016):

Celtic Connections have reported, based on their box-office figures, that since 1998 over 220,000 children from all over Scotland have benefited from the Celtic Connections education programme, attending free workshops, concerts and other events in an initiative designed to celebrate and build awareness of their cultural heritage.

Each January, professional Celtic musicians also give free workshops in Glasgow schools, during which children can have a go at playing traditional Celtic instruments such as the bodhran, fiddle, clarsach and whistle, and join in with Scots song and Scottish step dance. These workshops provide children with a vital opportunity to become actively involved with traditional Scottish music. Delivered free of charge, they are completely inclusive, involving young people with special needs and those who have English as a second language.

The education programme sits at the heart of the festival and aims to educate and enhance the lives of children from across Scotland. Having reached 99% of Glasgow schools, it enables young people to learn about their own tradition and background, as well as introducing them to cultures from across the world.