Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 06 October 2011
06 Oct 2011 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Heritage (Digital Technology)
From the early years of photography on Calton hill in the 1840s and the establishment of the camera obscura in Edinburgh during the 1850s, we have been fascinated by the way that technology allows us to see and capture the world around us. From those early efforts, we have looked for new and better ways of preserving the images of buildings, people, places and objects for our pleasure and study and to preserve images that might be in danger of being irretrievably lost.
The digitisation of our heritage is an important part of the work of recording and making accessible many aspects of our heritage, so the debate is a useful way of recognising the good work that is being done by many of our heritage and culture agencies.
However, if I may say this gently, the Government motion is a little bit limited and a little bit disappointing in its scope. The motion quite rightly recognises the work that is being done by Historic Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art, which are working together on an extremely interesting and innovative project that will allow them to capture in 3D 10 world heritage sites. The motion also recognises the work of the National Records of Scotland, particularly in making family records more readily available. However, our disappointment stems from the fact that there are so many other examples of groundbreaking, innovative and world-class projects happening here in Scotland, many of which are being undertaken by Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies, which are not recognised in the motion. I am genuinely very pleased that the cabinet secretary addressed more widely the issues raised in our amendment as well as those in her motion.
The digitisation of our heritage is an important part of the work of recording and making accessible many aspects of our heritage, so the debate is a useful way of recognising the good work that is being done by many of our heritage and culture agencies.
However, if I may say this gently, the Government motion is a little bit limited and a little bit disappointing in its scope. The motion quite rightly recognises the work that is being done by Historic Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art, which are working together on an extremely interesting and innovative project that will allow them to capture in 3D 10 world heritage sites. The motion also recognises the work of the National Records of Scotland, particularly in making family records more readily available. However, our disappointment stems from the fact that there are so many other examples of groundbreaking, innovative and world-class projects happening here in Scotland, many of which are being undertaken by Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies, which are not recognised in the motion. I am genuinely very pleased that the cabinet secretary addressed more widely the issues raised in our amendment as well as those in her motion.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-01023, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the digital future of Scotland’s heritage.15:25
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
Scotland’s heritage is one of our greatest assets and it attracts many visitors from overseas. Scotland offers not only tremendous natural beauty but an incr...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Does the cabinet secretary appreciate that, in my region of the Highlands and Islands, a great many people cannot access broadband properly? What can be done...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
One thing that can be done is to ensure that the United Kingdom Government invests. When I met Jeremy Hunt only a few weeks ago, we discussed the very point ...
Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
The detailed spending plans show that the budget for Historic Scotland, which is doing a lot of the digital work to put archives on the internet, is being cu...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
No, it will not. The Labour Party’s amendment raises concerns about the spend in the area. I reassure members that Historic Scotland’s front-line services wi...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Does the cabinet secretary recognise the exciting work that the University of Dundee has done on its family history project in its digital archives and the d...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I am more than happy to recognise the University of Dundee and, indeed, all the partners. Scotland really is world leading. We think nothing of debating the ...
Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I am afraid that I will need to make progress.From next year, digital access to 3 million images of the kirk session records will be made more widely availab...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn)
Lab
From the early years of photography on Calton hill in the 1840s and the establishment of the camera obscura in Edinburgh during the 1850s, we have been fasci...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
As the member will appreciate, given her colleague’s remarks about the University of Dundee, had we named every organisation, the motion would perhaps have r...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for that explanation. I hope that it means that the Government will be able to support our amendment.If we really want to celeb...
Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
Scotland’s heritage does not speak just of our past; it speaks of who we are. From crannog to castle to computer, there is much in the cultural, antiquity, v...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I am equally enthusiastic about the site. Unfortunately, when I have had meetings with the UK Government, the Conservative minister John Penrose has indicate...
Ruth Davidson
Con
As I have said for several minutes, I think that the site is a fantastic resource. I support ICH’s work and I support any investment and help that can be giv...
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to contribute to this debate on the digital future of Scotland’s heritage. From my perspective, as a computer science graduate from the Univer...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to speak in the debate. My experience is similar to Willie Coffey’s, in that I had a 20-year career in the IT industry prior to entering polit...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
A cynical observer, reading that we were to discuss the digital future of Scotland’s heritage, could easily dismiss our proceedings as dry, irrelevant or out...
Ruth Davidson
Con
Does David Stewart acknowledge that some of us like dusty libraries and museums, that using a computer could direct more people to go and see things in the f...
David Stewart
Lab
I am happy to share memories of dusty museums with the member.The scanning technology can also be used for mobile applications and remote access to inaccessi...
Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Like many others in the chamber, I welcome the debate. There has been a learning curve for a number of members. There has certainly been support for, as well...
Jean Urquhart
SNP
I am nearly there.This is where our ambitions for the digital future of Scotland’s heritage may take some time to be realised. Although we have made the inve...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
I am afraid that you are going to have to finish now, please.
Jean Urquhart
SNP
I will finish on an optimistic note. I applaud the work of all the agencies whose work is concerned with our living history. That work is sustaining our natu...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
We have all mentioned various projects in our areas. If the cabinet secretary had to put them all in a motion, she would probably need a digital archive of h...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It is good to have the opportunity to speak in the debate and to acknowledge the work that Historic Scotland is doing in partnership with others through the...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Mark Griffin might be aware that there was a conference recently on the frontiers of the Roman empire, which was attended by visitors from Germany and elsewh...
Mark Griffin
Lab
I am sure that those people will have been members of the Croy Historical Society. They display massive passion for their local history and heritage and for ...
Bill Walker (Dunfermline) (SNP)
SNP
Does Mark Griffin agree that the problems with broadband exist not only in the Highlands and that there are broadband problems in the central belt, due to th...