Foreward

As Chief Executive of the Scottish Police Authority, I am delighted to present this draft of our
second edition Gaelic Language Plan covering the period 2023 - 2028.

Gaelic is an important element of the Scottish society and culture and the Authority is
committed to supporting its promotion and recognition as part of our country’s heritage and
as a living language. We also recognise that Gaelic contributesto social, cultural and economic
wellbeing.

Edition two of our Gaelic Language Plan seeks to support delivery of the objectives outlined
in the National Gaelic Language Plan and to meet the duties laid out in the Gaelic Language
(Scotland) Act 2005. The Authority engaged and invited feedback on this draft with our
stakeholders, workforce and the public during July and August 2021.

It sets achievable aims aligned to our business priorities and focused on enhancing
understanding and use of Gaelic within our organisation. Our commitments focus on
increasing the visibility, status and use of Gaelic in the way the Authority communicates and
engage with the public. This will include, the proliferation of a new bilingual logo which will
be used across all of our communication channels.

The high level aims agreed with Bòrd na Gàidhlig are:

• Establish a Gaelic language plan development and implementation group with senior
  representation from all SPA functions including Forensic Services.
• The Authority, in acting in the public interest, will encourage and include the views of
  Gaelic users and communities to inform its scrutiny of policing and of policing issues.
• Integrate Gaelic awareness and language skills training into SPA Corporate and
  Forensic Services induction and training.
• As part of its ongoing cycle of governance and oversight of policing, the Authority will
  examine policing’s contribution towards delivery against the National Gaelic Language
  Plan in public session.

We recognise that a separate but complementary approach is required by both the Authority
and Police Scotland in order to ensure our contribution to strengthening Gaelic is meaningful
and has the desired impact. We are committed to working closely with Police Scotland to
progress this objective.

Lynn Brown OBE
Chief Executive
Scottish Police Authority