Chamber
Plenary, 19 Jan 2006
19 Jan 2006 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Cultural Commission
I do not think that today is the day to go into the individual funding details of any particular company. Obviously, those funding arrangements are being discussed between the Scottish Arts Council and the company that Rosemary Byrne identifies.
The Scottish Arts Council, quite rightly, carries out reviews of the organisations that it funds to ensure that they are achieving best value for money and that the money that they spend on behalf of the citizens of Scotland is used to further access, excellence and the other remits that we have given them. The SAC has to make funding decisions. Those decisions are not always comfortable or popular but I believe that when the SAC makes them it has all the information and considers all the facts. We will have to wait and see what its decision is on the company that Rosemary Byrne identified.
The Scottish Arts Council, quite rightly, carries out reviews of the organisations that it funds to ensure that they are achieving best value for money and that the money that they spend on behalf of the citizens of Scotland is used to further access, excellence and the other remits that we have given them. The SAC has to make funding decisions. Those decisions are not always comfortable or popular but I believe that when the SAC makes them it has all the information and considers all the facts. We will have to wait and see what its decision is on the company that Rosemary Byrne identified.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a statement by Patricia Ferguson on the Cultural Commission. The minister will take questions at the end of her statement. There...
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Patricia Ferguson):
Lab
On St Andrew's day 2003, the First Minister said:"I marvel when I see what a fantastic country Scotland is for cultural expression … we need a greater sense ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement, for which around 40 minutes will be allocated. I invite members to press their re...
Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for providing an advance copy of her statement, or at least the first 19 pages of it—three pages were missing.I welcome the new resource...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
First, I apologise to Mr Matheson if he did not get the entire version of the speech. We will ensure that he receives it in due course.We will obviously have...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
It is, in fact, Murdo Fraser who will lead for the Conservatives. He will be followed by Donald Gorrie.
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
On behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I welcome the minister's statement, which is a long-awaited response to the Cultural Commission's report. I also tha...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The member asked several detailed questions.The governance arrangements for the national companies will largely continue as at present. They will have their ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
The minister's statement in response to the Cultural Commission report was judicious and well balanced and steered a good way through the minefield. The extr...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The mechanism that we plan to put in place will address the issues that Donald Gorrie raises. We see local authorities as spearheading the citizen-led approa...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Minister, it is important that you address your microphone. Your voice fails significantly when you turn to address the questioner.
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
My apologies, Presiding Officer. I never like to be rude to Mr Gorrie, but on this occasion perhaps I shall have to be. As I said, we recognise that rights a...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I remind the chamber of my declaration, in the register of members' interests, of my chairmanship of the Scottish Library and Information Council. I welcome ...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
On public libraries, as I am sure that the member is well aware, the organisation of which she is chair has worked out a helpful matrix for improving standar...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
I congratulate the minister on bringing the statement to Parliament. I have no doubt that it was not her department that was responsible for a well-informed ...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I am glad that Mr Ballance asked that question. I want to put on record that what the Cultural Commission said was that it saw the figure of £100 million as ...
Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
Will the minister assure the Parliament that companies such as the 7:84 Theatre Company, which actively promotes access to participation in theatre in line w...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I do not think that today is the day to go into the individual funding details of any particular company. Obviously, those funding arrangements are being dis...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I advise that I have a great many names on my screen. Having been round all the parties, I will therefore restrict subsequent members to a single question an...
Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's statement and, in particular, the emphasis that she placed on the early years. Does she agree that it is vital for the emphasis to m...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I thank Susan Deacon for welcoming the statement. She is absolutely right and I agree entirely about where our focus needs to be. The early years are vital, ...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the minister's statement and in particular the additional resources that will be made available, but I say to her that there is a heavy emphasis on...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I emphasise that we see the development of cultural talent as being part of an escalator approach, and we will try to ensure along the way that we put in pla...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
The minister will be aware of my interest in industrial museums, and in particular in the Scottish Maritime Museum with the Denny tank in Dumbarton. Would th...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
We are well aware that there is a range of local museums and facilities that house items and collections of national—sometimes even international—significanc...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con):
Con
Like Jackie Baillie, I am interested in the minister's reference to increased funding for industrial museums. Will that allow an expansion of the institution...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
As I have said in response to previous questions, I cannot get dragged into the specifics of whether or not a particular institution would qualify, but it wo...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I point out that I am a member of the Musicians Union. The minister's remarks about UNESCO are important because UNESCO recognises the things that are indige...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I am aware of Mr Gibson's interest in those endeavours. In fact, I have shared one or two experiences of listening to them with him in the recent past. Creat...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
I have loads of questions, but I will ask just one. I welcome the statement, the new money and the move to mainstream arts funding in the Scottish budget. I ...