The expertise of Scotland’s new Makar, Liz Lochhead, is to be harnessed to promote Scottish literature at home and internationally.

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop has responded to the literature working group report, by giving Creative Scotland the lead role in implementing its recommendations.

These include:

- a feasibility study for a National Book Week, the first to be held in 2012;

- building on existing provisions of bursaries for writers through the Creative Futures programme;

- Creative Scotland, Learning and Teaching Scotland and the Scottish Book Trust actively promoting Scottish literature in Scotland’s schools, supported by a variety of innovative and exciting learning resources.

Ms Hyslop added: “The Makar will be commissioned to produce a work for the 2012 Commonwealth Day Observance which will be read at the event and broadcast internationally.”