Committee
Enterprise and Culture Committee, 13 Feb 2007
13 Feb 2007 · S2 · Enterprise and Culture Committee
Item of business
Creative Scotland
There are a number of things to say in response to the question. It would be a very unwise minister who would get involved in artistic decisions. Frankly, it would be foolish for a minister to get involved in such issues. It is fair to point out that, at the moment, I have certain powers with regard to both the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen. Given that next year those two bodies will between them spend something like £68 million of public money, I think that those powers are entirely legitimate. I think that the Parliament would be concerned if we did not have a mechanism by which we could ensure that organisations spend their money wisely. That needs to be controlled in the sense that we need to make sure that the books are in order. That is the sort of mechanism that we are looking to put in place. Under the involvement that I have at the moment, I grant money, after which I send a letter in which I outline the strategic guidance. That will continue, but it may be put on the face of the bill. You raised the issue of 7:84. The decision was made entirely by the Scottish Arts Council and was the result of a new system of vetting and considering applications. What is interesting about all that is that 7:84 appealed the decision and was able to come through what seems to me to be a fairly robust appeals process. The company came out the other end with a bit more than it had gone in with at the beginning. That is a very robust way of dealing with an issue.An organisation that receives funding from the Scottish Arts Council or its successor body must be very good and must have satisfied the grant-giving organisation that it can be relied on to do what it promised to do—such decisions must be left to the grant-giving organisation. Like everyone, I read the newspapers with interest, but being a bystander would be the extent of my involvement in such matters. That is how it should be. The SAC is much closer to the artistic community than I am, so it can discuss and explain much better than I can the rationale behind decisions. The Government's job is to establish the framework and infrastructure and then, I hope, to stand back and allow culture and creativity to flourish in Scotland.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Alex Neil):
SNP
Welcome to the fourth meeting in 2007 of the Enterprise and Culture Committee. I have received apologies from Richard Baker and Shiona Baird—I welcome Shiona...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
Karen Gillon will also be late—she had to attend to a constituency matter at lunch time.
The Convener:
SNP
Okay. I ask everyone to switch off their mobile phones.I welcome Patricia Ferguson, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, and invite her to introduce ...
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Patricia Ferguson):
Lab
I am joined by Greig Chalmers, from the Education Department, and Greg Allan, from the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department.I am grateful t...
The Convener:
SNP
When the draft Culture (Scotland) Bill was published, the degree of ministerial intervention and direction that will be allowed was a major concern. During t...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
We are talking about a ministerial power of direction, which would not necessarily be used. That is important. We are talking about a significant chunk of pu...
The Convener:
SNP
Will you specify the circumstances in which a minister can give direction in a way that allays the fears of people who worry that the state will interfere in...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I assure anyone who inherits the job that the last thing that they will want is to have such day-to-day involvement or to become involved in artistic decisio...
The Convener:
SNP
Other members want to ask about the issue, so I will bring in Christine May, Jamie Stone and Mark Ballard, after which I will return to the minister to discu...
Christine May:
Lab
Good afternoon, minister and gentlemen. I would like the minister or her officials to comment on three issues that arose from our round-table discussion. One...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
That tranche of questions was broad. Some of my comments may overlap and, if I am honest, I want them to overlap. Guiding everything that we are trying to do...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I agree with the minister and support her in her endeavours. She mentioned the interface with enterprise—one of the officials with her is from the Enterprise...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The debate was sparked off by the First Minister in his St Andrew's day speech, and I have been concerned to ensure that people understand that culture is no...
Mr Stone:
LD
I agree. I can see with my own eyes what has happened in Dundee, but the northern Highlands are different. Can I take it as a given that your department and ...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
Yes. We are using our national collections, our national performing companies and others to try to ensure that standards exist for local provision for which ...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
As a substitute member, I was not present at the round-table discussion. On reading the summary paper and the Official Report of the meeting, I was struck by...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
There are a number of things to say in response to the question. It would be a very unwise minister who would get involved in artistic decisions. Frankly, it...
Mark Ballard:
Green
You said that the letter that you would send to the SAC or creative Scotland would set out not just the amount of grant but strategic objectives. The draft b...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The purpose of the letter of strategic guidance is to ensure that the overall framework for the SAC—or any other body—is in line with broad Executive priorit...
Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I do not want to labour the point, but the proposed ministerial power of direction has generated much interest in the culture sector. Can you give an example...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
I do not want to labour the point about mismanagement of the books; the issue is governance in the general sense. It is about ensuring that arrangements are ...
Mr Maxwell:
SNP
I accept what you said about how rarely the power would be used. Many people have accepted that argument and opinion, but fear that it sends out the wrong me...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The power is not very different from those that we have at the moment, but it would be included in the bill. We do not currently have culture legislation in ...
Mr Maxwell:
SNP
I did not want to labour the issue, but I thought that it was worth raising. I will now move on.During our round-table discussion, Mr Cosgrove mentioned some...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The discussion that the Education Department and the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department are having at the moment is about the best way of...
Mr Maxwell:
SNP
I am glad that you mentioned broadcasting, which I want to move on to. You said that we are doing particularly well at the moment, but that there is always m...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The investment that has already been made at Pacific Quay and Seabraes Yards, for instance, is key. There must be a hub, and people must want to work there, ...
Mr Maxwell:
SNP
I will not argue about the figures, although we might be talking at cross-purposes. Your figure might be correct for independent production, so I accept what...
Patricia Ferguson:
Lab
The entitlements should be about ensuring that people have more influence over what is provided to them in their areas. We do not expect there to be a standa...
Mr Maxwell:
SNP
Did you say that you will set minimum standards for cultural entitlements?