Question S2W-12692: Brian Adam, Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29/11/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government with a view to ensuring that the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe is translated into Gaelic and Scots, as set out in Article IV-448, paragraph 2 of the treaty.

Answered by Peter Peacock (14/12/2004): The translation of the European Union Constitutional Treaty is a decision for the UK Government. Earlier this year the Prime Minister made a commitment to produce a Layperson’s Guide to the Treaty in order to inform the public in advance of a referendum. The Scottish Executive has already recommended to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that this guide should be translated into Gaelic.

Question S2W-11830: Kenny MacAskill, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29/10/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish literature is promoted and used within the school curriculum for (a) English and (b) other studies; what mandatory study of Scottish literature there is in the school curriculum, and what minimum knowledge of Scottish literature is required for children completing their education in Scottish schools.

Answered by Peter Peacock (12/11/2004): The nationalCurriculum Guidelines 5-14, for English language currently advise that Scottishtexts should be actively sought and used in classrooms, the aim being to fostera sense of personal and national identity through pupils' experience and study ofScots writing and Scots songs and through their conscious awareness and use of Scotslanguage. The guidelines for Social Subjects (History), Expressive Arts and Personaland Social Development stress the importance of maintaining a focus on the Scottishcontext

There is,however, no statutory curriculum in Scotland and responsibility for the delivery and content of the curriculumrests with individual education authorities and headteachers who must assess theneeds of their pupils and design an appropriate curriculum. This includes the extentto which Scottish literature is included in the curriculum.

Question S2W-11321: Rob Gibson, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 07/10/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9840 by Mr Frank McAveety on 26 August 2004, which bodies and institutions are taking action in relation to the recommendations of the Committee of Experts on the application of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages as these relate to the Scots language; what initiatives are being taken forward, and how the performance of these initiatives will be measured and assessed by the Executive and its agencies.

Answered by Patricia Ferguson (03/11/2004): The Executive is working to develop a national languages strategy to provide a framework for action in relation to Scots, as well as other languages. Along with other government departments, we shall report to the Council of Europe in June 2005 on progress to date. In addition to the Executive itself, bodies such as local authorities and cultural and educational public bodies all have a role to play. We particularly welcome initiatives from the Scottish Arts Council and Learning and Teaching Scotland in support of Scots.

Question S2W-09840: Chris Ballance, South of Scotland, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 29/07/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8183 by Mr Frank McAveety on 25 May 2004, what specific initiatives it has taken in response to the recommendations of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts' report into the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, as they relate to Scots.

Answered by Frank McAveety (26/08/2004): Action in relation to the recommendationof the Committee of Experts and the Charter undertakings for Scots are for a rangeof bodies and institutions. A wide range of Scots initiatives is being taken forwardthroughout Scotland. The Executive will also consider these matters withinthe context of the Partnership commitment to develop a National Language Strategy.

Question S2W-09841: Chris Ballance, South of Scotland, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 29/07/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive which minister has responsibility for ensuring that it meets its obligations in respect of the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages as these relate to Scots.

Answered by Frank McAveety (26/08/2004): I have lead ministerial responsibilitywithin the Scottish Executive for matters relating to the Scots language.

Question S2W-09842: Chris Ballance, South of Scotland, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 29/07/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will formally respond to the recommendations of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts' report into the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages as they relate to Scots

Answered by Frank McAveety (26/08/2004): Any formal response to the recommendationsof the Committee is a matter for the UK Government. The Executive will contributeto the next UK periodic report, which is due in June 2005.

Question S2W-08549: Jamie McGrigor, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 25/05/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the future well-being of the Scots language, in light of its support for Gaelic culture and language.

Answered by Frank McAveety (08/06/2004): The Scottish Executive considersScots to be an important part of Scotland’s linguistic and cultural heritage. There is a rangeof groups supporting and promoting Scots in Scotland, some of which receivesupport from the Scottish Arts Council. The Executive has also advocated the inclusionof Scots in the school curriculum where appropriate.

The Executive is committed tothe introduction of a national language strategy during the course of this Parliamentwhich will take account of the distinctive position of different languages usedin Scotland. The approach to Scots in the future will form part ofthat strategy.

Question S2W-08322: Rob Gibson, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19/05/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Culture Commission intends to address the role of Scots and Gaelic as part of the future of arts in Scotland.

Answered by Frank McAveety (02/06/2004): Theremit for the Cultural Commission was set out in the Scottish Executive’s Cultural Policy Statement on 22 April 2004.It provides that the Commission’s findings will be informed by the diverse culturaland linguistic communities within Scotland, with particular regard to Gaelic language and culture.

The Scottish Executive has provided the followingGaelic translation:

Bha raon-ùghdarrais Coimiseana’ Chultair air a mhìneachadh ann an Cunntas Poileasaidh Cultarach Riaghaltais nah-Alba air 22 Giblean 2004. Tha ullachadh ann airson gun tig am fiosrachadh airsonco-dhùnaidhean a’ Choimisein bho na coimhearsnachdan cultair agus cànain eadar-dhealaichteann an Alba, le aire shònraichte do chultar agus cànan na Gàidhlig.

Question S2W-08183: Kenny MacAskill, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 12/05/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts' report into the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; whether it will provide the Scottish Language Resource Centre (SLRC) with any additional funding to implement those recommendations and, if not, how it envisages implementation of the recommendations will be achieved, and whether it intends to consult the SLRC, or other organisations, on the recommendations and, if so, who it will consult and when.

Answered by Frank McAveety (25/05/2004): The Executive is committed to policies which will enable it to work towardmeeting those Charter obligations for which it has responsibility, including thosecovered in the recommendations of the Councilof Europe Committee of Experts.

The aims of the Scots LanguageResource Centre, which receives funding from the Scottish Arts Council, relate onlyto one of the recommendations of the Committee of Experts, “to create conditionsfor the use of Scots . . . in public life, through the adoption of a language policyand concrete measures, in co-operation with the speakers of the language”. Thiswill be considered within the context of the Scottish Executive’s National LanguagesStrategy which will be developed in consultation with all relevant interests later this year.

Question S2W-07400: Donald Gorrie, Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 01/04/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a board to promote Scots as a living language, similar to the Ulster-Scots Agency set up under the Good Friday Agreement, which advises ministers and co-ordinates activities relating to the promotion of Ulster-Scots as a living language.

Answered by Frank McAveety (04/05/2004): The establishment of anUlster-Scots agency was in response to a particular set of circumstances in Northern Ireland. The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to set up a similar agency inScotland. There is at present a wide range of groups and organisations in Scotland thatsupport and promote Scots in its various forms.

The Scottish Executive considers the Scots language to be an important part of Scotland'sdistinctive linguistic and cultural heritage. It appreciates that Scots is thelanguage many children bring to school and advocates the inclusion of Scots inthe school curriculum where appropriate. The Executive expects to develop aNational Language Strategy to bring a new focus to all of Scotland’slanguages, including Scots.

Question S2W-07284: Tricia Marwick, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29/03/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions it is taking to ensure that it complies “as a matter of priority”, as requested by the Council of Europe, with the recommendations made by the council in respect of the United Kingdom's application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Answered by Peter Peacock (27/04/2004): The recommendations from theCouncil of Europe report that fall to the Scottish Executive relate to the availabilityof Gaelic education; the monitoring and reporting on Gaelic education; the provisionof guidance to those working in Gaelic education and the administration of Gaelic,and the use of Scots in public life.

The Council of Europe’s committeeof experts collected evidence as long ago as January 2003. The Executive is addressingits recommendations through its support for Gaelic education, the exercise of thepowers available to ministers under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act etc.2000, the activity of Her Majesty’s Inspector of Education and its work to takeforward its commitments to the two partnership agreements of a Gaelic language actand a languages strategy to guide the development of Scotland’s languages.

Question S2W-06837: Alasdair Morrison, Western Isles, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 09/03/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Council of Europe to publish its report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Peter Peacock (10/03/2004): That report was publishedtoday, and it addresses recommendations to the UK Government on areas where theCouncil of Europe considers action is required to ensure that its charterobligations are met. Specific recommendations are made in relation to Scots andGaelic.

Progress has already beenmade since the Council of Europe collected the information on which its reportis based. Bòrd na Gàidhlig has been established as the primary Gaelicdevelopment agency in Scotland and is channelling government funding to priorityareas of Gaelic language development. The Executive has consulted on a draftGaelic Language Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament later this year.Steps are being taken through the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 toimprove the delivery of Gaelic Medium Education. The UK Government and the Scottish Executive are in dialogue about funding for the Gaelic Media Service. the Executive is also committed through A Partnership agreement for a Better Scotlandto develop a national language strategy, which will develop a new focus for allof Scotland’s languages, including Scots. Work on the strategywill start this year.

The implementation of theobjectives and principles of the charter is a matter not only for the Executivebut for local authorities and other public bodies and institutions, and the Executive expects that due recognition will be given to charter obligations atthese levels. We will shortly write to all those with an interest in the charterreminding them of the UK’s obligations and what practical steps can to betaken to meet them.

The Executive is committedto policies which will enable it to work toward meeting those charterobligations for which it has responsibility, and looks forward to theopportunity to contribute to the UK’s next report to the Council of Europe.

Question S2W-06111: Colin Fox, Lothians, Scottish Socialist Party, Date Lodged: 09/02/2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered calls for the establishment of a Scottish Poet Laureate as set out in motion S2M-789 in my name.

Answered by Frank McAveety (16/02/2004): The Scottish Executive has decided to create a position of national poet for Scotland. Scottish ministers believe that it is vitally important that we recognise the significant contribution of poetry to Scotland’s culture. This position will symbolise the success of Scottish poets in the past and the potential of Scottish poetry for the future.

Scottish ministers have decided to recognise Professor Edwin Morgan as Scotland’s leading contemporary poet. Professor Morgan will therefore be the first person to be awarded the designation of “The Scots Makar” (The Scots Poet).

Professor Morgan will be the only recipient of the title to be appointed by ministers. Ministers are committed to an independent appointment process for the future and will consult with the Scottish Arts Council and members of the poetry community to agree that procedure.