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Cheque written in Gaelic rejected Cheque written in Gaelic rejected
(20 minutes later)
Scottish banks are to be encouraged to offer services in Gaelic after a cheque made out in the language was rejected.Scottish banks are to be encouraged to offer services in Gaelic after a cheque made out in the language was rejected.
Michael Drummond, from Stornoway on Lewis, used a bilingual Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chequebook.Michael Drummond, from Stornoway on Lewis, used a bilingual Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chequebook.
However, RBS said in the UK it was necessary for cheques to be written in English so they could be understood by everyone who may have to handle them.However, RBS said in the UK it was necessary for cheques to be written in English so they could be understood by everyone who may have to handle them.
Nationalist MSP Alasdair Allan said the case raised a serious issue about services offered in Gaelic.Nationalist MSP Alasdair Allan said the case raised a serious issue about services offered in Gaelic.
The islands MSP is to write to banks urging them to use the language in its services. Mr Drummond had been writing the cheques in Gaelic for 20 years.
Islands MSP Mr Allan is to write to banks urging them to use the language in its services.
He said: "The chequebook is going out of fashion, but banks are providing all sorts of services online and it is relatively easy to provide this in other languages.He said: "The chequebook is going out of fashion, but banks are providing all sorts of services online and it is relatively easy to provide this in other languages.
"The point is to make the banks understand that these services should be provided in Gaelic as well.""The point is to make the banks understand that these services should be provided in Gaelic as well."