Chamber
Plenary, 22 Apr 2004
22 Apr 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Cultural Review
I commend Ken Macintosh for his work in the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish contemporary music industry. With Pauline McNeill and other colleagues, he has been raising big questions through that group.
I have two immediate answers. First, I continue to discuss with Jim Wallace, the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, the crossover with enterprise issues and ways in which we can work more effectively. I will certainly raise the issues that Ken Macintosh raises at a forthcoming bilateral meeting. Secondly, we need to engage and interface more effectively with the music industry. The issue is not only about performance, but about producing and sustaining talent in Scotland. We need to create an infrastructure in Scotland that will allow people to survive here longer rather than journey to London or the United States, although that can be a welcome move economically for the individuals who do so. As I said in response to Roseanna Cunningham on the issue of traditional music, I would welcome the commission's engagement with key people, including the cross-party group on contemporary music, which has been working hard on the issues.
The commission will not have all the answers, but it will try to get underneath the issues and to examine in detail not only questions that have been asked before and not fully answered but questions that have not been asked before. The Executive will continue to support the sectors that we have supported until now. I give a commitment to continue to engage with Ken Macintosh on the issues, as I have done in the past.
I have two immediate answers. First, I continue to discuss with Jim Wallace, the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, the crossover with enterprise issues and ways in which we can work more effectively. I will certainly raise the issues that Ken Macintosh raises at a forthcoming bilateral meeting. Secondly, we need to engage and interface more effectively with the music industry. The issue is not only about performance, but about producing and sustaining talent in Scotland. We need to create an infrastructure in Scotland that will allow people to survive here longer rather than journey to London or the United States, although that can be a welcome move economically for the individuals who do so. As I said in response to Roseanna Cunningham on the issue of traditional music, I would welcome the commission's engagement with key people, including the cross-party group on contemporary music, which has been working hard on the issues.
The commission will not have all the answers, but it will try to get underneath the issues and to examine in detail not only questions that have been asked before and not fully answered but questions that have not been asked before. The Executive will continue to support the sectors that we have supported until now. I give a commitment to continue to engage with Ken Macintosh on the issues, as I have done in the past.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a statement by Frank McAveety on the cultural review. The minister will take questions at the end of his statemen...
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Mr Frank McAveety):
Lab
I thank the members who have made themselves available at this early hour.Today is the start of a new era for Scotland's culture. I know that both the cultur...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I will allow around 20 minutes for that process.
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
Presiding Officer, I apologise for arriving 30 seconds late. Unfortunately, that came about because we were still waiting for a copy of the statement at 9.20...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I apologise for the late delivery of the speech, but I thought that it was important to get the David Greig quote into it, which I came across earlier this m...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I thank the minister for the statement. I got it only five minutes before he delivered it, so I have done my best.I agree with the minister when he says:"Our...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
It would be wrong of me to prescribe fully what the commission should examine, but I expect that over the next year some of the big questions that Jamie McGr...
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
Like all back benchers, I did not receive an advance copy of the statement, but I too will do my best.Does the minister agree that many creative pursuits are...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I commend Ken Macintosh for his work in the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish contemporary music industry. With Pauline McNeill an...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
The setting up of a commission is a good idea that will receive wide support. I welcome the concept of individual rights to culture.Will the minister ensure ...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I expect the commission to address many of the issues that members have raised. The Enterprise and Culture Committee is considering the role of community and...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
I draw members' attention to my entry in the members' register of interests: I am a playwright member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and a board membe...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I await with interest the commission's recommendations on resource allocation. I cannot pre-empt the commission's work or the discussions that the Executive ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
From now on, we will need snappier questions and answers to try to get in most members who have requested to speak.
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's statement, particularly the strands of increasing access and equitable provision and maintaining excellence. I have received several...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
One of the messages in my statement was that national organisations need to think much more about their responsibility to citizens and the wider public. That...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I am delighted that the minister is pushing to ensure that culture has as central a position in the Government as it has in our lives.How the members of the ...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I envisage the commission comprising a relatively small number of people. As such, it cannot be absolutely representative of the diverse cultural and non-cul...
Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I give a cautious welcome to the proposed new cultural commission. However, I am not exactly sure how the new body will differ in scope and role from the Sco...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
I have achieved something this morning if I have received a cautious welcome from Ted Brocklebank, and I thank him for that.The commission is time limited. I...
Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the establishment of the cultural commission under James Boyle. It is time for the initial work of the cultural strategy to be taken forward.The mi...
Mr McAveety:
Lab
Like Rhona Brankin, I am passionately committed to the role that culture, arts and creativity can play in the development of young people. The speech that th...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
My regrets to members who were not called. I have allowed an extra six minutes.
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Yesterday's Business Bulletin did not say that there was going to be a statement on this subject and I found out only...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I will make inquiries on that point and come back to you when I have further information.