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Scottish Languages Act 2025

Overview of the Act

4.The Act consists of three Parts. Part 1 is on Gaelic; Part 2 is on Scots and Part 3 contains final provisions. Parts 1 and 2 are each divided into two Chapters.

5.Part 1 Chapter 1 is titled “Support for the Gaelic language” and makes provision about the status of the Gaelic language and the functions of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, as well as making provision about the functions of the Scottish Ministers and relevant public authorities in relation to Gaelic.

6.Part 1 Chapter 2 is titled “Education” and makes provision about the functions of the Scottish Ministers and education authorities in relation to Gaelic education, as well as modifying various enactments relating to education to increase the support for Gaelic education.

7.Part 2 Chapter 1 is titled “Support for the Scots language” and makes provision about the status of the Scots language, as well as making provision about the functions of the Scottish Ministers and relevant public authorities in relation to Scots.

8.Part 2 Chapter 2 is titled “School education” and makes provision about the functions of the Scottish Ministers and education authorities in relation to Scots language education in schools.

9.Part 3 is titled “Final provisions” and includes provision for ancillary powers and commencement.

10.In these Notes:

  • the “1980 Act” means the Education (Scotland) Act 1980,

  • the “2005 Act” means the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005,

  • the “2016 Act” means the Education (Scotland) Act 2016.

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

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