Meeting of the Parliament 25 September 2014
I have thoroughly enjoyed the debate. I congratulate all members on their speeches, which have been varied, thoughtful—replete with experiences from the lives of family members, friends or constituents who have a disability—insightful and extremely helpful.
As I always do, I will ask the Scottish Government officials in the tourism section to study the Official Report and ensure that, where a specific response has been sought on a specific point, I answer it if I do not do so in the next wee while during my speech. I am conscious that around 100 points were made and I feel as though I am in an examination in which I have 10 minutes to answer 100 questions. I suspect that I will probably not be able to answer them all.
To take one point, Mark McDonald asked specifically about facilities in the refurbished museum of Scotland. I will come back to him on that and, equally, to other members who have specific points of that nature.
If members feel particularly strongly about any of the matters that they have raised with me and I fail to answer them in the next nine minutes, they should write to me and I will most certainly respond. That is my responsibility on matters about which members feel strongly—although that is perhaps a risky strategy, as MSPs as a breed tend to feel strongly on just about everything.
I will respond to three areas on which a number of points were raised. The first relates to the response of the private sector and business.
Marc Crothall from the Scottish tourism alliance is in the public gallery. I had the pleasure of having lunch with the STA executive earlier this week. The STA has more than 250 members, as opposed to 90 just a short while ago, and is now the main voice of the private sector in tourism. It has agreed to be a champion in promoting accessible tourism.
I mentioned earlier that 625 businesses are registered on the online training programme, with 67 having completed it. The STA’s message to the industry is that it aims to reach 5,000 businesses. The Federation of Small Businesses, which represents a large number of bed-and-breakfasts and small establishments, will also play a constructive role.
I also point out other opportunities that we might want to take in promoting the online training toolkit, such as evidenced in the Wood commission report, which suggests that school pupils in secondary 4, 5 and 6 might be encouraged to complete the online training to improve attitudes.
In part, the issue is education and attitudes in society. Just as drink-driving became totally unacceptable behaviour a few decades ago and just as smoking in restaurants and pubs has become unacceptable in the past decade, so too, I suspect, will behaviour that lacks respect for people with a disability become unacceptable and beyond the pale. It is partly a matter of social attitudes and partly a matter of effective communication of a training programme that has cost relatively little and is already beginning to achieve good things.
Nanette Milne mentioned the excellent example of Crathie Opportunity Holidays. I understand that Maggie MacAlpine is a member of the accessible tourism steering group. I am informed that her establishment has welcomed more than 620 disabled people on 1,400 holidays. Of the 2013 bookings, 51 per cent came from people who had previously enjoyed a holiday there. That is repeat business.
I refer to that excellent holiday establishment because if it has succeeded in providing excellent facilities, that is a sign to many other businesses that there is a great business opportunity in doing this, and Crathie Opportunity Holidays is by no means alone in that respect. I praise that business and potential new establishments such as The Rings, which I think Patricia Ferguson mentioned, and at which I had the pleasure of cutting the sod recently.