Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 August 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the potential benefits are to young people of being taught Scots or Gaelic.
The Scottish Government is clear that there are many benefits to young people being taught Scots or Gaelic. It has the potential to create a secure future for the languages in Scotland and also enriches Scottish education and cultural life. It provides language learning that appeals to families and communities and, in the case of Gaelic, provides a successful bilingual education for young people. In addition, the teaching of Gaelic and Scots provides young people with the opportunity to learn about Scotland’s culture and identity and to appreciate Scotland’s rich literary and linguistic heritage.