Speeches by Jones.

“Are there enough Gaelic-speaking creatives in Scotland to support the need for a range of genres to be represented in Gaelic broadcasting?”

“Dr Birnie, are there enough career opportunities for Gaelic-speaking creatives? What do the opportunities look like for young people, particularly those living on the islands?”

“What progress needs to be made to better fulfil our obligations under the charter?”

“Yes.”

“It is interesting to hear how important that is to you and the community of Gaelic speakers. Your point about the fact that Gaelic speakers in England are not accounted for was an interesting one. What have been the key achievements of Bòrd na Gàidhlig in supporting Gaelic language and culture since it was established?”

“Funnily enough, that was my next question, so that is perfect timing.”

“To build on the points that my colleague Douglas raised, my constituency is in the lowlands. For centuries, the lowlands never spoke Gaelic, but we are in an age now where it is on offer through our education system. I am not against that. There is a primary school that is a Gaelic school. My question to you is, when p…”

“That was a helpful contribution. I will go back to Ms MacDonald. Has the board encountered any challenges in adapting to its strength and position under the Act? If so, how have you adapted to those challenges?”

“Mr Dunbar, what influence does the European charter for regional or minority languages have on the overall approach to Gaelic language policy? How important is the charter in shaping the UK Government’s obligations to support Gaelic broadcasting?”

“I appreciate that.”

“Do you think the distribution of funding appropriately reflects Scotland’s significance within the sector?”

“Minister, £20 million of the £180 million industrial strategy skills package has been allocated for skills initiatives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Is that £20 million for each of the devolved nations or to be shared between them?”

“We have heard how negative public perceptions of the defence sector are impacting operations and recruitment for many companies in Scotland. Beyond the Destination Defence campaign, what are the UK Government doing to combat this?”

“You do pack a punch.”

“Part of the national conversation for me, certainly, I think probably about 85% of my constituents don’t understand the threats that we face, because that message isn’t landing. It is not on their television screens. Ukraine has been wiped off the news almost, so they don’t understand that threat is still there. It is …”

“On the infrastructure investment in Faslane and Scottish bases for procurement, what reassurance can you give us that Scottish companies and British companies will be able to bid for those contracts to support jobs across our communities?”

“Thanks very much, Chair. Sticking with reskilling and upskilling, Minister, to address the challenge of many skilled workers nearing retirement and very few apprenticeship spaces, reskilling has been identified as a key opportunity. What can the UK Government do to help the defence industry take advantage of this? Coul…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn) on securing this important debate. Scotland is not immune to fly-tipping, which has a significant and often underestimated impact on our communities, affecting not onl…”

“I was delighted to be able to congratulate Auchinleck Talbot football club from my constituency on their recent remarkable achievement in winning the Scottish junior cup for a record 15th time. They came from behind to defeat their Ayrshire rivals Largs Thistle, demonstrating the resilience, determination and community…”

“What are the challenges in having more services? Do you think that having fixed links would alleviate the pressures on your services or would it pose challenges for your business model?”