MSPs pass bill giving Gaelic and Scots official status in Scotland
MSPs have passed a Bill which gives the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland.
The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favour of the Scottish Languages Bill, which also makes changes to the support of Gaelic and Scots education, on Tuesday.
Ministers say they are 'confident' the Bill will accelerate the growth of both languages, but Labour say it will do 'nowhere near enough'.
Provisions included in the Bill involve the establishment of areas of linguistic significance in Gaelic communities, allowing ministers to focus grant funding in areas where the language is most fragile.
READ MORE: Scotland must 'go beyond mitigating Westminster' with minimum income guarantee
Ahead of the Stage 3 debate, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'I am confident that this Bill will accelerate the growth of Gaelic and Scots by establishing both languages as official'.
She said it would also 'strengthen the rights of parents to ask for a Gaelic school to be established in their area' as well as introduce targets for people speaking Gaelic and qualifications in the language.
Forbes said: 'To support the growth of Scotland's indigenous languages, we are also providing an additional £5.7 million to promote Scots and Gaelic this year.'
(Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
Labour's finance spokesperson Michael Marra said: 'This bill does nowhere near enough to protect the Gaelic language.
'Scottish Labour amendments will strengthen the legislation, but still the best that can be said is that this bill will do no harm.
'Without economic development in the heartlands, we know that the prospects for Scotland's ancient language are bleak.
'In the face of a Gaelic crisis, the SNP chose to bring a bill of limited scope that will, at best, make modest improvements.'
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