Short Life Working Group on Economic and Social Opportunities for Gaelic report: SG response

Digital connectivity

The Scottish Government Reaching 100% (R100) programme is delivering future-proofed broadband infrastructure that will underpin economic growth and transform the economic prospects of communities across Scotland. It has already delivered over 49,000 connections together with 16 new fibre optic subsea cables, providing connectivity to 15 Scottish islands. R100 continues to deliver at pace and is currently on track to complete the build and ensure all contracted premises are connected by 2028. Around 70% of the 114,000 premises expected to be connected through the R100 contracts are in rural Scotland, with around 12,000 in island communities. Recognising that it is a key building block for a green and growing economy, the Scottish Government has prioritised investment in digital connectivity in the 2024-25 budget.

The UK Government has set a target to ensure that 85% of premises across the UK can access gigabit-capable broadband by the end of 2025, and a target for nationwide coverage by 2030. This is known as Project Gigabit. The Scottish Government will play a key role in supporting delivery of Project Gigabit in Scotland and is working closely with the UK Government to ensure that Scotland receives its fair share of Project Gigabit funding.

Businesses in Grimsay welcomed the arrival of fibre direct to their doors under the legacy Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme, describing the impact as life changing in both social and economic terms, and believing the benefits will help make their future more sustainable.

The Rural and Island Housing Action Plan also seeks to address disparities in digital connectivity. Through the plan, the Scottish Government will review suppliers’ current and expected gigabit-capable build. This will invite views from wider stakeholders – including those representing Gaelic interests and the Key Gaelic Communities identified by the Short Life Working Group. The Scottish Government is working closely with Building Digital UK as it prepares to launch the first Scottish Project Gigabit procurements. A consultation will be held on requiring developers to deploy and optimise digital connectivity in all new housing developments. Residents of the Report’s Key Gaelic Communities will be encouraged to engage with this consultation and the views of Gaelic stakeholders sought out.

3.1.2 The Convention of the Highlands and Islands consider the potentially disproportionate impact a lack of affordable housing has on Gaelic-speaking communities, with a view to ensuring more flexible policy and faster provision of housing.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

The Convention of the Highlands and Islands (CoHI) offers a suitable forum for consideration of these matters with appropriate agenda items brought forward by members. Bòrd na Gàidhlig is a member of CoHI and ensures that the specific needs of Gaelic communities are considered.

We will refresh Local Housing Strategy guidance and through this process we will explore how local authorities could be asked to consider the role of new homes in sustaining cultural – as well as social and economic – aspects of community in line with place-based principles.

3.1.3 NSET Entrepreneurship focus should extend to Key Gaelic Communities and support Gaelic entrepreneurs with enhanced incentives and support for business start-ups.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

Supporting more people to start and scale businesses is a key economic priority and we are working closely with the Chief Entrepreneur to implement a strategy to establish Scotland as a rapidly growing start-up economy.

We will work with existing programmes and initiatives such as Techscaler, Business Gateway and local authorities to ensure that services, investment and ecosystem building activities are taking full account of the needs of Gaelic entrepreneurs. This will include seeking the advice of the Chief Entrepreneur.

3.1.4 A voluntary ‘fair chance scheme’ to be explored in relation to selling homes inviting relevant bodies to work with estate agents to enable prioritisation of housing allocation.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

CoHI will consider this recommendation with the relevant bodies.

3.1.5 A scheme be developed to help sustain Key Gaelic Communities with the provision of grants to enable individuals on low or modest incomes to own their own home, either through the acquisition of a site for a self-build or the purchase and improvement of an existing property for use as their sole residence. This could perhaps be achieved through reorientation of existing Rural and Islands Housing Fund programmes.

The Scottish Government does not accept this recommendation.

The Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan highlights that there are a range of existing mechanisms available under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to support people to access affordable home ownership across rural and island areas. The Scottish Government provides support for affordable home ownership for first-time buyers and priority groups who could not otherwise afford to buy on the open market through our Low-Cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers schemes which comprise the Open Market Shared Equity and the New Supply Shared Equity Schemes. In addition to the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme which mainly supports people to buy an existing home, other schemes are increasing the supply of new homes including the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme, Self-Build Loan Fund, Rural and Islands Housing Fund and Partnership Support for Regeneration Scheme.

However, we recognise that accessing home ownership in some rural and island areas can be particularly difficult due to the impacts of limited supply, high demand, as well as market conditions such as rising interest rates and inflation. The Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan includes an action to commission independent research as part of a wider review of affordable home ownership in rural and island communities once the Affordable Housing Supply Programme review has been undertaken. This independent research could consider the specific impacts of home ownership on the Key Gaelic Communities identified by the report.

Additionally, operational links will be strengthened between the Scottish Land Fund and the Rural and Islands Housing Fund to ensure their decision making better aligns with the needs of rural and island communities.

3.1.6 In Key Gaelic Communities, landowners should articulate and demonstrate how they support the language in their Land Rights and Responsibilities statement, in particular evidencing initiatives and support for projects delivering social and economic outcomes for the Gaelic language

The Scottish Government partially accepts this recommendation.

We will support initiatives and projects from landowners to deliver social and economic outcomes for the Gaelic language. The duty in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 lies with Scottish Ministers, and they must publish a Land Rights and Responsibilties Statement (LRRS) and review it every five years. Land owners are not required to produce a LRRS. While they are encouraged to consider it when making decisions relating to land, this is voluntary and the LRRS is currently not enforceable.

Section 10 of the Scottish Languages Bill, as introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 30 November 2023, modifies the 2016 Act by adding the desirability of promoting, facilitating and supporting the Gaelic language to the list of matters which Scottish Ministers must have regard to in preparing the statement.

The LRRS published in September 2022 refers to the ownership, use and management of land delivering a wide range of social, environmental, economic and cultural benefit, whilst the supporting advisory notes set out that “We have significant cultural connections to land in Scotland through our languages and our history and those making decisions about land should be sensitive to these.” The modification which the Scottish Languages Bill makes to the 2016 Act will be taken into account during the next statutory review of the LRRS.

3.1.7 Adequate affordable homes should be available with a clear strategy to ensure population retention and criteria for allocation aiming to enable and encourage the use of Gaelic in communities which have a significant cohort of speakers, primarily Key Gaelic Communities.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities through their Local Housing Strategy (LHS) and Development Plan to determine the appropriate housing required in their area, informed by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment. Every local authority in Scotland is required by law to prepare a Local Housing Strategy, supported by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA), which sets out its strategy, priorities and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. Housing and planning authorities can augment their Housing Need and Demand Assessments with robust additional data and research where this exists. The Housing Need and Demand Assessment sets out long-term housing requirements, including the likely requirement for new homes as well as trends in affordability and tenure.

We will refresh Local Housing Strategy guidance and through this process we will explore how local authorities could be asked to consider the role of new homes in sustaining cultural – as well as social and economic – aspects of community in line with place-based principles.

The Scottish Government’s Addressing Depopulation Action Plan (ADAP) aligns with the Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan and contains actions to encourage population retention. The ADAP contains actions directly related to the Report’s Key Gaelic Communities. It also includes action to establish an Addressing Depopulation Fund as well as designing a Population Impact Assessment to ensure population impacts are properly considered as part of public policy.

3.1.8 In recognising the significant cultural strengths of the area, including the Gaelic language, the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership (REP) should progress the development of a unique socio-economic plan based on supporting and growing the number of Gaelic speakers.

The Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership has been created to provide a collaborative focus on regional economic opportunities and challenges. A primary initial objective was to establish a regional economic strategy – its first ten-year strategy is nearing completion and is due to be endorsed within the next month and formally approved by partner organisations by the end of the year. The Short Life Working Group’s recommendation extends beyond the HIREP remit and geography, however, the draft Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Strategy acknowledges that Gaelic is an important part of the heritage and culture of the region and provides unique opportunities. A key action has been included to “support key Gaelic speaking communities with interventions to promote socio-economic opportunities and enhance resilience.” HIREP is developing a delivery plan which will prioritise activity over the next years.

3.1.9 ‘Gaelic economic zones’ be explored, offering tax breaks including (but not limited to) VAT and rates relief for businesses undertaking Gaelic-related activities or whose business demonstrates significant Gaelic impact. These could be aligned to the proposed Gàidhealtachd or any area in Scotland with a qualifying business.

The Scottish Government partially accepts this recommendation.

While some aspects of tax have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, VAT policy is still reserved at UK level. Therefore the Scottish Parliament has no powers to act in this area. The Scottish Government believes that full VAT powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament so that the decisions that affect people and businesses in Scotland can be made here.

While many of the primary levers remain reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Parliament nevertheless has devolved taxation powers which could be utilised to solve some of the population and infrastructure difficulties experienced in the Key Gaelic Communities identified by the Short Life Working Group. Some relate to Land and Buildings Transaction Taxes. Some relate to reforms of Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) to incentivise the re-use of vacant and derelict sites. It is also suggested additional reliefs on NDR and council tax for newly-built properties on long-standing vacant sites could incentivise reuse. Another relates to consideration of a new power to enable local authorities to continue to apply NDR to newly derelict properties to discourage them from being allowed to fall into disrepair

NDR plays a fundamental role in contributing to the funding of public services by raising over £3 billion per year. Further relief would decrease NDR income and would need to be assessed in light of affordability, value for money and opportunity cost. It would be challenging to use NDR relief to target behaviour such as the use of Gaelic in specific communities. A system where the characteristics or behaviours of the occupier of a property become relevant to the tax liability may fundamentally change the administration of NDR and materially increase the administrative burden on councils. Careful consideration would therefore have to be given to the impact and feasibility of such conditionality within the NDR system. In respect of vacant and derelict sites, councils already have the power to continue to apply NDR to newly derelict properties following the devolution of Empty Property Relief to local authorities on 1 April 2023.

3.1.10 Initially, the Western Isles and Skye should be considered for an entrepreneurial campus approach incorporating Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, UHI North, West & Hebrides, and the creative industries cluster among others. Such a campus could lead on minority language solutions that could be exported across the world and extended to other areas to foster greater collaboration.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) have embraced the recommendations of the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint (ECB) and have designed a 3-year plan to increase entrepreneurial output and boost economic activity coming out of the different distributed campuses. We remain committed to the recommendations of the ECB and very much welcome UHI and others in their efforts to drive regional and national socio-economic and cultural growth through the Entrepreneurial Campus concepts.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is an internationally recognised centre for minority language study – whether in its offering of degrees across different disciplines through the medium of Gaelic or its role in developing our understanding of language planning. As the report notes, the impact which Sabhal Mòr’s campus has had on the Sleat peninsula since its establishment in 1973 is a case study in how a language initiative can be the vehicle for wider economic regeneration. This year’s census results have in turn demonstrated the impact this has on local language usage. Census results for Sleat reveal that Gaelic usage increases with each younger age group – from 35% of over 65s to 80% of 3-15 year olds. These results are a striking illustration of the impact which a strong, economically vibrant Gaelic institution can have on local language revival.

UHI North, West & Hebrides – through its amalgamation of three distinct college campuses in the Highlands and Islands – is providing a further example of innovation in response to the geographical circumstances of a minority language community. Other services on behalf of Gaelic, such as Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s eSgoil, are also relevant in this regard.

The other bodies listed against this recommendation provide further demonstrations of Gaelic successes which have already achieved international recognition. This includes the awards and nominations gained by Gaelic productions at the Celtic Media Festival or the importance of MG Alba, BBC Alba and Radio nan Gàidheal to the Scottish Government’s ongoing work with counterparts in Canada. Cnoc Soilleir is a salient example of an initiative local to one Gaelic community being the basis for innovation across the wider culture – seen, for example, through its hosting of Climate Hebrides’ recent Gàidhlig Climate Convention. As a project its international significance is already being noted by other minority language communities. For example, the Frisian speaking members of the German-Scottish band An Carra recently cited Cnoc Soilleir’s importance in their decision to pursue musical careers through the Frisian language.^[1]

The success which they demonstrate, and the innovation they continue to pursue, are things which the Scottish Government will consider as we develop the ways in which further education is offered in Scotland and the example this can provide for minority language communities across the world.

3.1.11 Issues relating to housing and community-owned assets in Key Gaelic Communities caused by intestacy should be highlighted, and campaigns such as the Crofting Commission’s succession advice amplified.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation.

Tackling empty homes remains a priority. It is a key part of the solution in meeting housing demand. As stated above, making the best use of existing housing is one of the four categories of action identified in Housing to 2040.

While this recommendation relates to an ongoing issue within the Key Gaelic Communities identified by the Short Life Working Group the government has policies in place which will help.

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership works with local authorities and private owners to help return homes back to active use. Since 2010 it has succeeded in doing so for 9,000 properties. The Partnership has empty homes services across Scotland and is aiming to build a national network of officers. In September 2023, the Scottish Government published the independent research ‘Bringing empty homes back into use: an audit of privately owned empty homes in Scotland’. This provides an overview of Scotland’s empty homes and the further actions government could take to bring them back into use. The outcome of these strands of work will be a strategic approach to bringing empty homes back into use which will then be embedded within the Empty Homes Partnership.

We will work with the Partnership, local authorities and owners to bring more empty homes in rural and island communities back into use. Dealing with the specific issues the Short Life Working Group identifies regarding intestacy in its Key Gaelic Communities will form a part of this strategy – as will the amplification of existing campaigns such as the Crofting Commission’s advice on intestacy.

3.1.12 There should be consideration of whether a task force is needed to further assess all aspects of public policy and their effect on Key Gaelic Communities along the lines of the recently established Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities.

The Scottish Government partially accepts this recommendation.

The Scottish Languages Bill will place a duty on Scottish Ministers and public authorities to consider Gaelic throughout the exercise of their functions. Assessing the impact of all aspects of their public policy on the language will form part of that. The Bill also places a duty on Scottish Ministers to develop a Gaelic Language Strategy in place of Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s current National Gaelic Language Plan. By being developed at the level of Scottish Ministers rather than an NDPB, and cutting across all aspects of government activity, the strategy will ensure a more comprehensive approach to Gaelic in Scotland’s public life.

The existing system of Gaelic Language Plans commits public bodies to establish Gaelic Implementation Groups to ensure the impact of their individual policy areas on the language is considered. The Scottish Government has such a group and it will continue to work through that to meet this recommendation. It will also support Bòrd na Gàidhlig as it monitors other public bodies in their fulfilment of this commitment.