Seòmar agus comataidhean

That is very helpful. Thank you very much.

That is useful. On the back of what you were talking about with Michelle Thomson on the number of women and young girls becoming interested and getting opportunities, do you think that the Scottish Administration needs to concentrate more on that side of it to push it further?

I have a wee question on the practicalities of all this. How will public bodies be made aware of the revised principles? Do you liaise with public bodies across the field?

On the back of that, some stakeholders and others have told the committee that they can see that Bòrd na Gàidhlig is doing fantastic work, and they are therefore disappointed that the bill does not include the establishment of a Scots board of equal significance. Has the Government heard that evidence, and has it considered whether the bill could or should include a provision on the establishment of a Scots board?

From listening to what was said by stakeholders and others, I think that they see the idea of a Scots board as something that helps to focus thinking and provide a constant push in the way that Bòrd na Gàidhlig does. However, others have said that it is more important to provide an emphasis on encouragement and support for the bodies that already exist and, therefore, for the people who use the languages and dialects, in order to give them more comfort, rather than providing something that would possibly be an academic body. There are differing opinions.

I will move to Scots. The committee has heard differing views on whether the bill should explicitly recognise the variety of Scots dialects or Scottish languages across the country. In your opinion, should the bill be clearer that it seeks to promote and support Lallans, Doric, Orcadian and Norn et cetera, as opposed to saying, “This is it, and that is the way you’ve got it”?

It is important that all views should be listened to. The idea is that Scots has Government backing, that it should be listened to more and that the opportunities that are attached to it should be increased in the same way as with Gaelic. That is important. However, because of the different pronunciations and dialectical variations across Scotland, there will be issues to do with how it is taught and how it is listened to. Is that being taken on board right at the beginning?

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

The instrument sets out a Scottish pubs code for tied pubs. The draft code will govern the relationship between landlords and tenants of tied pubs. In correspondence with the Scottish Government, which is published alongside the papers for this meeting, the committee asked questions on three aspects of the regulations. The committee is content with the responses that it received in relation to two aspects, including in relation to compliance with convention rights.

The third question related to the end of the rent assessment period in regulation 17(10). The Scottish Government advised that the intention is for the rent assessment period to come to an end if the tenant does not accept the offer of a market-rent-only lease within two weeks of the offer, rather than within two weeks of the rent determination. The Government intends to correct that by amending instrument.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on the general reporting ground in this regard?

Members indicated agreement.

Does the committee wish to welcome that the Scottish Government intends to make an amending instrument to correct the error, to come into force at the same time as this instrument?

Members indicated agreement.