Gaelic signage queries: FOI release

Information requested

Did the Scottish Government request, suggest or require the police, ambulance service and road agencies to include Gaelic signage on their vehicles, road signs, etc?

Response

I have provided the information you requested below:

The use of Gaelic on vehicle livery or signage within public bodies is determined by the commitments made by those public bodies within their corporate Gaelic Language Plans. These Gaelic Language Plans are requested by Bòrd na Gàidhlig as part of its duties under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. Bòrd na Gàidhlig is a Non Departmental Public Body which operates at arm’s length from the Scottish Government. Corporate Gaelic Language Plans serve to fulfil the strategic aims outlined within Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s National Gaelic Language Plan and are informed by the Bòrd’s Statutory Guidance on Gaelic Language Plans. The use of Gaelic by the police and ambulance services is therefore guided by those organisations’ own internal Gaelic policies.

Local road signage is the responsibility of local authorities. The use of Gaelic on road signs is determined by the commitments which local authorities make within their Gaelic Language Plans. At present 30 local authorities have Gaelic Language Plans which outline the extent to which they use Gaelic in their signage and branding.

Trunk road signage is the responsibility of Transport Scotland. Transport Scotland is a government agency and therefore comes under the remit of the Scottish Government’s own corporate Gaelic Language Plan. Like the plans produced by the police, ambulance services and local authorities the Scottish Government’s Gaelic Language Plan is prepared at the request of Bòrd na Gàidhlig following the process described above. Transport Scotland has produced guidance on the use of Gaelic in its trunk road signage which you can consult here.

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