Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-07862, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on recognising and supporting Paisley’s 2021 United Kingdom city of c...

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

Thank you, Presiding Officer. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoc...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Before I call the next speaker, I remind members that if they want to speak in the debate, there is a wee thing that they have to do: press their request-to-...

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I am delighted to be speaking in the debate, and I am grateful to Fiona Hyslop for giving Parliament the opportunity to signal our support for the Paisley 20...

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

It is a pleasure to open the debate on behalf of the Labour Party and speak in support of Paisley’s bid for UK city of culture 2021 and Dundee’s bid for Euro...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I understand why Paisley got the biggest hit in your speech, but I am afraid that you have run out of time for Dundee. I will not hold it against you.

Neil Bibby Lab

I wish Dundee and Paisley every success in their bids over the coming months.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I am sure that you do. We now move to the open debate, and we will have speeches of six minutes. 15:42

Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) Green

Scotland is incredibly fortunate to have a rich cultural heritage—one that is known, respected and enjoyed across the world. To see that recognised through t...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

I grew up in a small farming village outside St Andrews in the 1980s and 1990s, so Dundee was a metropolis to me. Lying 14 miles to the north, it always held...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Thank you very much. George Adam (Paisley) (SNP) rose—

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I have not called you yet, Mr Adam. I know that you are dead keen. I call George Adam. 15:53

George Adam (Paisley) (SNP) SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. My calves were not coping too well, but I was poised to stand up. I am, of course, extremely pleased to take part in the debate...

Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con) Con

Gosh, Maurice Corry—follow that. In the footsteps of George Adam, I say well done. I was extremely pleased that Dundee was to go ahead with the events that...

Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) SNP

I will at least attempt to make as strong a case for the city of discovery as George Adam made for Paisley. First, I offer a degree of context for my suppor...

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I congratulate Paisley on making the shortlist for the UK city of culture. The fact that it has progressed this far is testament to the strength of the bid, ...

Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Today, we are debating the fine cultural achievements of Paisley and Dundee—and quite right, too. First, I want to reference another great city, Glasgow, the...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

I think that one set of figures looks at the legacy from a 10-year perspective, while the other takes a shorter-term view. Both sets of figures show the impo...

Joan McAlpine SNP

I thank the minister for that clarification and for confirming that there is no massaging of the figures going on. Whatever the figures are, it is well estab...

Bill Bowman (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I thank Fiona Hyslop for bringing the debate to the chamber. It gives us an opportunity to show our support for two remarkable areas of Scotland and our appr...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

For a moment I thought you were offering to pay. I call Tom Arthur, the last speaker in the open debate. 16:29

Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) SNP

As someone who was born in Paisley, was brought up in nearby Barrhead and is one of Renfrewshire’s three constituency MSPs, I am delighted to have the opport...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Who was counting the Sinatra quotes? Lewis Macdonald will wind up for Labour and has seven minutes, and Maurice Golden will have eight minutes for his speech...

Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Often in this place, we have to agree to differ—after all, that is the essence of parliamentary debate. Taking issue is an essential part of a modern democra...

Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con) Con

I thank Fiona Hyslop for her motion. My Scottish Conservative colleagues and I are grateful for the opportunity to show our party’s support for Paisley and D...

Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) SNP

Given Maurice Golden’s earlier comments about Mr Dey, does he actually remember the Average White Band?

Maurice Golden Con

When I was doing my standard grade music short course, that was the answer to one of the questions. I was taught about the Average White Band, but did not li...

The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP

I thank business managers across the chamber for agreeing not only that we should schedule this business but that we should have a motion to which we could a...

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution (Derek Mackay) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

Of course.