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This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. Information about Police Scotland's Gaelic Language Plan is available on the Police Scotland website: http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/police-scotland/strategic-planning/gaelic-language-plan

£206k has been spent on Ground Investigation work on the A76 at Enterkinfoot. This figures includes:

• Geotechnical Statement of Intent including Desk Study

• Design of Ground Investigation

• Compilation of tender documents

• Ground Investigation, laboratory tests and factual reporting

• Geotechnical Interpretative Report

We have just concluded a consultation on proposals to replace the current guarantee period of 2 years for shallow excavations, and 3 years for deep excavations, with a single guarantee period of 6 years regardless of the depth of excavation. The consultation closed on 12 November 2017. We are currently analysing responses to the consultation and will carefully consider the views given. We will publish that analysis and our response outlining next steps as soon as we can.

16,877 pupils in publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools were educated in a different local authority to their home local authority. This data has been published in the pupil census supplementary data 2016:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus16

The 2011 census produced by the National Records Office Scotland provides detail of the number of users of the language by area and can be found at:

There are two locations on the trunk road and motorway network where temporary lights have been in continuous operation for more than 24 months. These are A76 at Enterkinfoot and the A77 at Cairnryan.

The main route into the Borders for anyone coming from the south is via the A7, which is currently signed from junction 44 on the M6 at Carlisle. The approach to this junction also includes a brown tourist sign for ‘Borders Tourist Route to Edinburgh follow A7. This junction is south of the border and therefore comes under the control of Highways England.

As Langholm is some distance from and not directly linked to the M74, it would not be appropriate to provide signs on the southbound carriageway.

There are currently no plans to update signage on the M74 to specifically highlight visitor attractions in Dumfries and Galloway. Tourist signs, highlighting visitor attractions are introduced following application from the tourist attraction providing they meet the criteria set out in Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Guidance document. As part of the current sign renewal programme, it is proposed that a number of additional destinations will be added to some route confirmatory signs (signs showing distance to destination) within the current fiscal year.

Transport Scotland works closely with the organisers of all major events and support is also provided through Traffic Scotland. This support consists of mini sites on the Traffic Scotland web site, the use of Traffic Scotland social media and the use of variable Message Signs (VMS). These resources are used to highlight to road users in the area of the possibility of increased traffic and are not used for the purpose of advertising specific events or tourist attractions.

The Scottish Government has continued stakeholder engagement since the introduction of the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill 2017 in June. The meetings listed below were primarily about the about the Bill as introduced and discussion on the illustrative draft code will have formed part of the discussions.