Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02878, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the National Library of Scotland Bill.16:05

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop) SNP

I thank members of the Education and Culture Committee for their scrutiny of the National Library of Scotland Bill. Throughout the process, members have prov...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

I call Neil Findlay. You have up to seven minutes. Any time that you can save will be gratefully received. 16:15

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

In this era of huge change in information technology, with digital books, online resources, web-based learning, audio books and digital film, the role of mod...

Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I add my thanks to those of Neil Findlay to Stewart Maxwell and the clerks. Stewart Maxwell has convened the committee with his normal sense of humour, and w...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

We now move to the open debate. I regret to tell members that we are short of time, so if they can confine themselves to three-minute speeches, it would be m...

Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I thank members for their kind comments about my convenership of the Education and Culture Committee throughout the bill’s passage. I thank in particular the...

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Over the past couple of centuries, libraries have evolved to become important institutions at the heart of communities across Scotland and the United Kingdom...

Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

The bill that is being passed today marks a new era for the National Library of Scotland, bringing its governance into the 21st century and freeing it to con...

Annabel Goldie (West Scotland) (Con) Con

When I read the bill as introduced, I had genuine doubt as to the status in law of the proposed new entity. The existing governance was clear: there was a st...

Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the Government’s acceptance of an increase in the minimum board size, on which I commented at stage 1.I do not understand the positions of the othe...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

I endorse Fiona McLeod’s concluding comments.We have finally managed to get Marco Biagi off the NLS board in order that he can spend more time with his famil...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

I offer my congratulations to Orkney library and archive, too.16:44

Liz Smith Con

The debate has been largely consensual, out of a need to ensure that we maintain and enhance one of Scotland’s great national treasures for exactly the reaso...

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab) Lab

Scottish Labour, too, welcomes the bill and recognises that reform of the structures that support our National Library is necessary. The fact that the existi...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

I welcome the tone of the debate and the genuine respect that members across the chamber have expressed for the work of the National Library of Scotland.In r...

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

There is far too much noise in the chamber. I ask members to settle down.

Fiona Hyslop SNP

When I met other culture ministers in Brussels last week, I heard some fascinating insights from Professor Nigel Shadbolt of the University of Southampton ab...