Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 06 January 2015
06 Jan 2015 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Winter Festivals
Fifty years ago, as a student, I obtained temporary employment with the General Post Office at Christmas, helping to deliver a larger than usual postbag. We were paid off on Christmas eve and the regulars did the postal delivery on Christmas day. Shops were open, newspapers and milk were delivered to the house and my general practitioner father had surgeries on Christmas day. In short, when I was a youngster there was very limited celebration of Christmas. New year was an entirely different matter. When we went first footing to neighbours’ houses, we normally carried something to drink, something to eat and something to burn.
A great deal has changed. The focus is perhaps less now on individual action and much more on organised events. Let me gently tweak the tail of the Tories, because when their amendment talks about strategies it is at odds with my instincts. I do not think that this is about strategies at all; it is about defining winter celebrations as things that happen locally. We have a huge amount of talent to draw on; organising and directing it through a strategy is perhaps not the way forward.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-11976, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on winter festivals. It will be helpful if I advise members that we a...
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
In the first debate of the new year, I wish all members across the chamber a happy new year—it is a very appropriate time to reflect on and debate Scotland’s...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
This afternoon’s debate gives us the opportunity to recognise the diversity of celebrations and festivals that take place in Scotland over the winter months....
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Claire Baker on her new appointment. I am sure that we have all attended some local winter festivals in recent weeks, and we are now looking ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
We are very tight for time. Members have up to four minutes for speeches. 15:23
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Fifty years ago, as a student, I obtained temporary employment with the General Post Office at Christmas, helping to deliver a larger than usual postbag. We ...
Liz Smith
Con
If we listen to what the arts bodies are saying, we will find that, although they agree with the member entirely about allowing creativity to flourish in loc...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Well, that is where we fundamentally disagree. I do not want to bring people together; I want to encourage diversity and local community action. I recognise ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I regret that you must close.
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
We have lots to celebrate in Scotland. We are doing extremely well. Let us keep it up and do even better in future. 15:27
Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I hope that everyone had a good break this winter. I wish all members a happy new year. Scotland’s winter festivals celebrate our nation’s rich cultural her...
Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I wish you and the other members in the chamber a happy new year. I am delighted to have been called to speak in this debate heralding th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
The member should draw to a close.
Colin Keir
SNP
I will finish with two points, Presiding Officer, which I direct to those outside the chamber. First, hotel accommodation charges in Edinburgh can be embarra...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
The member must close, please.
Colin Keir
SNP
Scotland is a major global player when it comes to festivals; let us keep it that way. 15:35
Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
Today is the 12th day of Christmas, which traditionally marked the end of the period when people lit their homes and streets to dispel the dark, cold days of...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must draw to a close, please.
Jayne Baxter
Lab
In conclusion, winter festivals continue to demonstrate their appeal as celebrations of our traditional culture, as major factors in attracting visitors and ...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, wish you, Presiding Officer, and other members a happy new year. It seems to be particularly appropriate that we are celebrating Scotland’s winter f...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
I wish everybody a happy new year. As others have said, winter festivals contribute to national and local economies, but they do a lot more than that, as the...
Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate on Scotland’s winter festivals and, like others who have spoken, I wish all members a happy new year. ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Thank you. We move to closing speeches. 15:52
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
It is always welcome to hear about cultural successes throughout Scotland, and our winter festivals have done us proud once more. All manner of parties, cele...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Anne McTaggart—six minutes, please. 15:55
Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and happy new year to all. I am delighted to close the debate on winter festivals on behalf of Scottish Labour. I am a mother ...
Joan McAlpine
SNP
On the topic of arts funding, yesterday morning the Labour press team sent out a tweet saying: “p.44 of Tory dossier says Labour will cancel cuts to the art...
Anne McTaggart
Lab
I appreciate Joan McAlpine’s intervention, but it is important that we concentrate on what the Scottish Government is doing with its budget instead of lookin...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
This has been a very enjoyable debate, and I want to address a number of the points that have been made during it. I agree with Claire Baker’s amendment and...
Liz Smith
Con
I think that we are broadly on the same theme. A particularly pertinent example is what the film industry is saying. It is saying that it cannot do some of t...