Actions to improve Gaelic and Scots language skills: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for what actions have been undertaken so far by the Scottish Government to boost Gaelic and Scots language since the bill passed.

Response

The Scottish Languages Act 2025

The Scottish Languages Bill was passed unanimously by Parliament in June 2025, following extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the Scottish Parliament. The Bill was granted Royal Assent on 31 July 2025 and then became an Act of the Scottish Parliament. Scottish Languages Act 2025.

The Act is an important means by which to address the needs of speakers in home, school, communities and the workplace and gives both Gaelic and Scots official status for the very first time. The Act will build on progress and boost and encourage the use of Gaelic through a number of practical measures including supporting the creation of areas of linguistic significance by local authorities so that Scottish Ministers can better target policies to support Gaelic communities and the language’s growth.

Several of the provisions within the Act need secondary legislation, also known as Scottish Statutory Instruments (SSIs), to become law – an SSI provides either a list of dates when sections of the Act will come into force, or when specific sections of the Act themselves come into force. More information about secondary legislation can be found on the Scottish Parliament’s website -https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/about-bills/about-secondary-legislation You can also find a tracker on the Scottish Parliament website about the statutory instruments that the Parliament plans to look at within any 4-week period and so suggest you check this from time to time for updates relating to the Scottish Languages Act Scottish Statutory Instrument Tracker | Scottish Parliament Website.

Along with the specific items and provisions mentioned above, since the Bill passed the ScottishGovernment has also maintained its clear support for Gaelic and Scots by means of continuing its support for a wide range of projects and initiatives already in place and operating in different sectors and communities.

Road Signs and Vehicles

In terms of road signs and vehicles, the pre-existing policy has been maintained since the passage of the Scottish Languages Bill.

Local road signage is the responsibility of local authorities. The use of Gaelic on road signs is determined by the commitments which each local authority makes within their own 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.

The use of Gaelic on vehicles is the responsibility of the public bodies to whom the vehicles belong and as set out in their corporate Gaelic languages plans. For example, the use of Gaelic on Police Scotland vehicles is the result of decisions taken under Police Scotland’s Gaelic Language Plan and their criteria for doing so can be found within their plan. This applies to other services such as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, whose policies on branding are guided by their own internal Gaelic language plans.

Trunk road signage is the responsibility of Transport Scotland. Transport Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Government 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, the body responsible for Gaelic development in Scotland. Transport Scotland has produced guidance on the use of Gaelic in its trunk road signage which you can consult here -Traffic signs and road markings | Primary routes and destinations for trunk road signing | Transport Scotland

About FOI

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