Spring launch for tartan register

Tartan is a major contributor to the Scottish economy

The Scottish Government has outlined plans to increase the protection and promotion of tartan.

Ministers backed proposals for a national register of tartan by the spring, an idea put forward by Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor.

Under a members bill to be brought forward by Mr McGrigor, it aims to "classify and authenticate" tartans.

Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said the government was committed to recognising good ideas across the parliament.

'Real merit'

The tartan industry generates more than £350m for the Scottish economy every year and supports more than 4,000 jobs.

Mr McGrigor, a Highlands and Islands MSP who had brought forward a bill for a register in the last parliament, said: "Tartan is such an iconic part of Scotland's culture and heritage and the establishment of a national register will I hope help ensure that Scotland remains the Mecca for tartan worldwide in the future."

Mr Mather added: "The idea of a tartan register is one that I always believed had real merit.

"Hopefully soon we will be in the position where people across the world can use the register as an online resource to create, research and buy their own family tartan."