Scottish Languages Bill: business and regulatory impact assessment

Consultation

Within Government

As part of the development of the Bill provisions, engagement has taken place with the following policy areas across the Scottish Government and other administrations:

Scottish Government:

• More Homes Division
• Police Division
• Legal Directorate
• School Funding, Infrastructure and Digital Division
• Education Analytical Services
• Land Reform, Rural and Islands Policy
• Early Learning and Childcare
• Local Government Policy and Relationships
• Europe Division

UK:

• The Welsh Government
• Northern Ireland Executive

International governments and bodies:

• Government of Ireland
• British-Irish Council

Policy efforts on behalf of the United Kingdom's individual minority languages have always learnt from one another. This extends to minority languages spoken abroad – whether in Ireland, continental Europe or examples such as French in Canada, Hawaiian or the Maori language. The engagement outlined above was an opportunity to consider the latest thinking in neighbouring minority language communities and the successes or drawbacks of the policy measures taken on their behalf. It provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved so far for Gaelic and Scots and which new approaches it would be beneficial to take within the Bill.

Public Consultation

A public consultation^[8] took place between August and December 2022. Engagement events with stakeholders were held online and in person in a range of rural and urban locations. The consultation process provided an opportunity for civic engagement and participation with the policy areas to be covered by primary legislation and helped gather further evidence to support policy development prior to the introduction of the Bill. The Scottish Government received over 750 responses and published the Analysis of Consultation Responses for the Gaelic and Scots Commitments relative to the Scottish Languages Bill^[9] along with the underlying responses to the consultation on 7 June 2023.