I do agree. I see no reason why languages should be party political. They are a shared cultural asset. When I look online, I am astonished to see people who do not share my constitutional position sometimes attacking Scots or Gaelic, as if it belongs to us and not them. The language belongs to all of us, as do the other national minority languages.
I hope that we will highlight some of the important shortfalls and opportunities when I join my friend the hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage) and cross-party colleagues in taking evidence from expert witnesses during our minority languages inquiry.
4.30 pm
I was in hospital, recovering from injury and surgery during some of the Bill’s passage. I extend my gratitude to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen North, who worked so assiduously on the measure in my absence and who consistently does so much good work in the House. As is her wont, she spent long hours in Committee, tirelessly scrutinising the Bill line by line. I note that not a single Scottish National party or other Opposition amendment was accepted by the UK Government—yet another bizarre example of Westminster’s methods. We turn up, work hard, research diligently, engage with stakeholders, contribute to debate and then we are largely ignored.
The Government are forcing through their curious insistence on Channel 4’s producing its own content. That is a fig leaf to justify the inordinate waste of time and money on yet another aborted attempt to privatise the channel. As we all know, Channel 4, which is surely best placed to determine its needs, did not want that power. What was it, Mr Deputy Speaker, that a Conservative Cabinet Minister once said about policy making—we have “had enough of experts”?