Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan 2016-2021

Chapter IV: Implementation And Monitoring

Timetable

This is the second iteration of the Scottish Government's Gaelic Language Plan, and will remain in force for a period of five years from the date it is approved by Bòrd na Gàidhlig or until a new Plan has been put in place. Commitments in this plan will enhance and clarify, rather than replace, the commitments in the previous iteration, in force from 2010 to 2015.

Publicising the Plan

The Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan will be published bilingually on the Scottish Government website. In addition, we shall:

• widely promote the Plan including sharing on social media
• make the Plan known to employees via the Scottish Government Intranet and update employees with new policies and initiatives developed under the Plan
• make copies of the Plan available on request
• notify relevant stakeholders with information on how to access the Plan

Administrative arrangements for implementation

This Plan is the policy of the Scottish Government and has been endorsed both by Scottish Ministers and by the Strategic Board of the Scottish Government.

• Overall Responsibility
  The Permanent Secretary will be responsible ultimately for ensuring that the Scottish Government delivers the commitments set out in this Plan.
• Directors-General
  The Scottish Government will adopt a devolved approach to the implementation of the Plan and Directors-General will be responsible for ensuring that their staff are made aware of the Plan and how it affects their area of work.
• Scottish Government Gaelic and Scots Team
  The Scottish Government's Gaelic and Scots Team, which is part of the Learning Directorate, is responsible for Gaelic policy matters. We will report progress on the commitments in this Plan to Bòrd na Gàidhlig annually. We will work closely with contacts across the organisation to ensure the implementation of the Plan, and to identify opportunities for expansion going forward. We will also respond to all ad hoc requests on progress from the Bòrd. In the event that the terms of the Plan are not being met, then the report will explain the reasons why and will set out the steps which are being taken by the Scottish Government to address the difficulties.
• Gaelic Plan Working Group
  The Scottish Government recognises the importance of delivering the commitments contained in this plan and to ensure a coherent approach, we will establish a Gaelic Plan Working Group following publication of this plan.
• Individual staff members
  Guidance will be produced and promoted to Scottish Government staff explaining their duties and what the Plan means for them. This general guidance will be augmented as appropriate with information on the handling of Gaelic correspondence, telephone calls and the production of bilingual communications.
• Services delivered by third parties
  The Scottish Government will ensure that agreements or arrangements made with third parties which relate to the delivery of its services to the public are shaped by the terms of this Plan. This commitment includes services which may be contracted out. Where the third party does not have a Gaelic language Plan in place, then we shall encourage them to follow the terms of the Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan and to ensure that their staff are informed of the terms of the Plan.
  The relevant contract manager will be responsible for monitoring the performance of the service provider in relation to any arrangements made for the Gaelic language. This will be carried out as a normal part of the contract management process.
• Resourcing the Plan
  The Scottish Government will make appropriate provision for the resourcing of this Plan, in respect of those services delivered directly by us. Our NDPBs and Agencies, agents and contractors will be responsible for arranging to meet the costs of implementing their own Gaelic Language Plans.
• Monitoring of implementation
  An annual monitoring report on the implementation of this Plan will be sent to Bòrd na Gàidhlig. In monitoring implementation, we will focus on the following areas in particular:
  • Scottish Government policies and how they impact on Gaelic development
  • the implementation of specific core commitments in Chapter II
  • the contribution being made towards implementation of the National Gaelic Language Plan as set out in Chapter III
  • details of materials published in Gaelic whether in whole or in summary form
  • the nature and number of comments received regarding the delivery of the measures contained in the Plan