Petitioner: Iain Macleoid
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
05 June 2013
A’ gairm air Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ìmpidh a chuir air Riaghaltas na h-Alba ath-bheachdachadh a dhèanamh air an rùn aca gun dreach dà-chànanach (Beurla/Gàidhlig) de phàipear baileit an refreinn air neo-eisimeileachd a sholarachadh.
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to review its intention not to provide a bilingual (English/Gaelic) version of the ballot paper for the independence referendum.
Summary:
17 September 2013: The Committee took evidence from John Macleod, and Professor Robert Dunbar, Chair of Celtic Languages, Literature, History and Antiquities, University of Edinburgh. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Management Board for Scotland. Link to Official Report 17 September 2013 (597KB pdf)
Below: John Macleod and Prof Robert Dunbar giving evidence on 17 September 2013
26 November 2013: The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 on the basis that the Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee considered this as part of its Stage 1 scrutiny and concluded that a persuasive case for a bilingual ballot paper had not been made; the Bill has now completed Stage 3, and no Member put down an amendment to seek a bilingual ballot paper. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 26 November 2013 (515KB pdf)
Written Submissions:
1. Chan eil Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ toirt taic do Ghàidhlig na h-Alba air bhonn “dìth tuigse na Beurla” ach airson “còraichean cànain” agus “co-ionannachd spèis ris a’ Bheurla”
2. Bu chòir do Riaghaltas na h-Alba a bhith gnìomhach ann a bhith a’ cur an sàs briathran reachdail Achd na Gàidhlig (Alba) 2005, Cùmhnant Eòrpach nan Cànanan Roinneil is Mion-chananan, agus am Plana Gàidhlig aca fhèin gus sealltainn gu soilleir gu bheil iad dha-rìribh a’ cumail ris an rùn a gheall iad dèanamh cinnteach gum bi a’ Ghàidhlig tèarainte san àm ri teachd.
1. Scottish Government support for Scottish Gaelic is not given on the basis of “lack of understanding of English” but for “language rights” and “equal respect with English”
2. The Scottish Government should be active in applying the statutory provisions of the Gaelic Language (S) Act 2005, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, and their own Gaelic Language Plan to demonstrate their stated intent of ensuring a secure future for Gaelic.