Hansard

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Thank you very much. I am sure that we can discuss with the clerks whether that would be possible. I thank everyone for attending the meeting. We have had a wide-ranging discussion. As you might know, this was our first scene-setting evidence session as part of our inquiry, an...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

I ask Irene Oldfather to close the conversation on behalf of everyone. The pressure is on.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Do any colleagues or guests want to contribute before I bring in Irene Oldfather?

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

That is one of the specific issues that the PPA has been looking at, so it is on its agenda. I will bring in Tom Sallis and then, unless anyone else wants to come in, I will ask Irene Oldfather to round off the discussion in whatever way she sees fit.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Does anyone else want to speak about the future and any quick wins that could be achieved?

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

If that is right—I am sure that it is—why does it appear that the EU wants only a short, somewhat technical review of the TCA? Is this not the opportunity for a much more wide-ranging and substantive review?

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

I will come back on one of the things that you mentioned. You have given us a clear picture of SAFE, its work and its activities. It is obviously a very vibrant body that is thinking about things. We also know about what the DAG does at UK level. Do you get a sense that, on th...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

We are certainly aware of the issue around representation. I add that I am a member of the Faculty of Advocates, so I am particularly aware of the matter and am sure that it is an issue to which we will return. I move to our third theme, which is on opportunities for further ...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

I said at the start that we were going to try to cover three separate themes, but we have overlapped the first and second ones quite a lot. The second theme was challenges and how they might be resolved: we have discussed a wide variety of challenges and potential solutions. T...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

One of the remits of this committee is culture, obviously—it is in our title—and we cover it, particularly Scottish culture in Europe but also European culture coming to Scotland. It is very pertinent.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

The convener, Clare Adamson, and I are observer members on the PPA, which meets twice a year in the UK and the EU. The role of the specialised committees is very much on the agenda, and issues about how frequently they meet and how they operate are very live.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

I am glad that you mentioned the new pilot programme and the Taith scheme. The Royal Society of Edinburgh has said that the Scottish Government scheme is on a much smaller scale than the Taith scheme.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Does anyone want to take that question?

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

As we have mentioned Erasmus+ and horizon, I call Alastair Sim, who has not yet spoken.

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Does anyone else want to speak about their sector’s experience of the TCA to date?

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Thank you—that was very helpful. On that last point, we are very cognisant of the fact that elections are coming in the EU and the UK. Further, there have been quite strong indications from the EU that it wants, as you said, a very short and rather technical review. It would b...

The Deputy Convener (Donald Cameron) Con Committee

08 Feb 2024

Review of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement

Good morning and welcome to the fifth meeting in 2024 of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. We have received apologies from our convener, Clare Adamson MSP, and Mark Ruskell MSP, who are unable to attend the committee today. Jim Fairlie MSP is at...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I did not know that, so I thank Finlay Carson for that information. Given that much of the decision making around education is the responsibility of local authorities, it is down to the leadership of those authorities to make or break innovation in education. It is important ...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I think that I can—

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I am firmly of that view, and Stephen Kerr sets out eloquently what I personally believe. I am not saying that Dunoon grammar is unique. Plenty of other Scottish schools have a similar level of engagement with their communities, and allow their teaching staff to think creativ...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I agree that having a breadth of subjects available is intrinsically important to young people. The member will know about the challenges that we all face with subject choice in schools in Scotland. My point is that the project that I mentioned gives back to the local communi...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I am grateful to Jenni Minto for mentioning those teachers. It is important that we get on record the names of not just the headteacher but other leaders in the school who have driven it forward. I was discussing community collaboration, and I will focus on one project. An em...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

06 Feb 2024

Dunoon Grammar School

I am delighted to bring this debate to the chamber to highlight to the Scottish Parliament the fantastic work of Dunoon grammar school. I thank Gillian Hunt, who is in the public gallery, for all her encouragement to me in lodging the motion and for her enthusiasm. I also than...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

01 Feb 2024

National Outcomes

My last question is about how we measure the efficacy of our international efforts. The committee has grappled with that issue previously, in particular with regard to Scottish Government funding and work. I think that everyone accepts that it is very hard, because a lot of it...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

01 Feb 2024

National Outcomes

Yes—the diaspora in particular.

Donald Cameron Con Committee

01 Feb 2024

National Outcomes

Thank you for that—I did not intend to make that accusation at all. Your report is very clear about that aspect. 10:00 To move on to the linked question of the diaspora, I agree with the report that that currently seems to be an “untapped resource”. As you will know, there...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

01 Feb 2024

National Outcomes

Good morning, Mr Wishart—it is very good to see you. Thank you for your report, too. I want to ask you about the report’s chapter entitled “Beyond the tartan: Scotland’s international brand”. There is a well-known argument that is hard to refute, which is that Scotland is abou...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

01 Feb 2024

National Outcomes

I do not mind if Mark Ruskell goes ahead, in fact.

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

31 Jan 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Referendum (Powers of the Scottish Parliament)

On Monday, The National newspaper—one of my essential daily reads—reported the latest shock defection to Alba, Ash Regan’s party: the South Ayrshire Scottish National Party Facebook page. Does the minister accept that, as his party’s case for Scottish independence becomes ever...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

30 Jan 2024

European Union

Of course, an independent Scotland would incur huge costs and, like many of his fellow party members, Kevin Stewart is incapable of recognising the severe economic damage that independence would do to people in Scotland. There are not just glaring problems in our NHS, our sch...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

30 Jan 2024

European Union

I thank Jamie Hepburn for that very important intervention. Here we are, yet again, debating a hypothetical wrapped in speculation inside a misconception, to misquote Winston Churchill. As the Covid inquiry takes evidence at this very moment about the conduct of the SNP Gover...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

30 Jan 2024

European Union

The title of this debate is “An independent Scotland in the EU”.

Donald Cameron Con Committee

18 Jan 2024

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

I want to ask about the Edinburgh festival fringe, which you mentioned. Shona McCarthy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society outlined to the committee in evidence last week that the fringe festival falls through funding gaps. It receives only £1 million in funding but is cr...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

18 Jan 2024

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Cabinet secretary, you have given some clarity to Mark Ruskell on the £6.6 million that is going to Creative Scotland, but I want to ask about the longer-term funding, such as the pledge of £100 million to culture. There was some evidence last week that the pledge had been mad...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

18 Jan 2024

BBC Annual Report

I have a final quick question on another issue that is pertinent to the Highlands and Islands, which is the region that I represent. What happened last year with traditional music and piping programmes being cut was quite an unhappy episode. This committee played a role in scr...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

18 Jan 2024

BBC Annual Report

I will change the subject to Gaelic broadcasting. BBC Scotland has a fruitful relationship with MG Alba, which contributes a lot to programming, joint working and some funding. The vast majority of MG Alba’s funding comes from the Scottish Government. Effectively, it has staye...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

18 Jan 2024

BBC Annual Report

Good morning to the panel. I want to press you a bit more on the viewing figures of the various news programmes that Keith Brown referred to. I entirely take the point that it would be wrong to look at one day of one programme in isolation and plucking out a Sunday night in ea...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

11 Jan 2024

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Where would Creative Scotland like to target that funding?

Donald Cameron Con Committee

11 Jan 2024

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Thank you for explaining that, because I was going to ask you about two positions that we have heard from the Scottish Government. First, when the Deputy First Minister made her budget statement, she said that the budget would be “restoring £6.6m to Creative Scotland for thei...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

11 Jan 2024

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

I thank all the panel members for their candid evidence. I have two questions. The first is about salary costs, and particularly public sector pay awards, which I think several of you note in your written submissions as one item that has to be provided for. Is there a tension ...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

11 Jan 2024

General Question Time · Business Support (Highlands and Islands)

Last October, HIE’s chief executive, Stuart Black, told the Economy and Fair Work Committee that a projected cut of 4.8 per cent to HIE’s budget would affect its “ability to work with communities at local level”.—Official Report, Economy and Fair Work Committee, 4 October 202...

3. Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Jan 2024

General Question Time · Business Support (Highlands and Islands)

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support businesses across the Highlands and Islands region. (S6O-02952)

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Asylum Policy and Legislation (United Kingdom Government)

I will just continue because I am running out of time, Deputy Presiding Officer. I would like to develop one theme that has not been covered: Ukraine and the supersponsor scheme. When the minister gave evidence to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committ...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Asylum Policy and Legislation (United Kingdom Government)

My response to that is to point Bob Doris to the comments of his party colleague Susan Aitken, who said that she would fight plans to relocate more asylum seekers in Glasgow. I would like to develop one theme that has not been—

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Asylum Policy and Legislation (United Kingdom Government)

I am delighted to take part in this debate, but not because of the Scottish Government’s position in its motion. Its attack on UK Government migration policy was predictable and the minister’s conclusion was predictable, with its jarring and inappropriate reference to independ...

Donald Cameron Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Asylum Policy and Legislation (United Kingdom Government)

Would a future Labour Government—were the hypothetical situation to arise in which we had a Labour Government—process applications abroad?

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Asylum Policy and Legislation (United Kingdom Government)

Will the member give way?

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Jan 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Scottish Government Independence Publications (Lessons from Parliaments with Unelected Members)

In reference to the question, which referenced “future publications on independence”, rather than commit to yet more papers on separation, which will inevitably end up out of date and in the political dustbin at a massive cost to the taxpayer, when will the Government focus it...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

09 Jan 2024

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Report: “How Devolution is Changing Post-EU”

This has been a valuable and important debate, and it is a pleasure to close on behalf of the committee. I add my thanks to the committee’s clerks for all their work on the inquiry and to our advisers, Professor Michael Keating and Dr Chris McCorkindale, and to all those who g...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

19 Dec 2023

Budget 2024-25

In last year’s budget, the Government eventually pledged £6.6 million to Creative Scotland. It then cut that funding entirely in September, before being forced to reinstate it and shattering the confidence of those who work in culture and the arts, U-turning not once, not twic...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

National Outcomes

It is a difficult question. Several of you have made the point that you have relatively small offices with just two or three people in them and that there is a question about how far those resources can go, depending on the size of the country that you are based in. Would Kat...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

National Outcomes

That is an interesting answer. This is just my personal view, but I think that there is a lot to be done and that is an area in which the international offices can contribute. My next question is about the location of Scotland’s international offices. I hasten to add that I a...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

National Outcomes

Good morning everyone, and thank you for being with us today. I have a short question for Christopher Thomson on something that he just said about culture and the diaspora. In the past few weeks and more generally, we have done quite a bit of work on Scotland’s heritage. One o...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

Ukraine

That is really helpful. I turn to the issue of accommodation and rent guarantees. A while ago now, we had evidence from the Ukrainian consul that he was in favour of local authorities acting as rent guarantors to enable people from Ukraine to access private rented accommodatio...

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

Ukraine

Was there any evidence that the pause in some way disincentivised people from coming? Are you content to say that the pause made no difference?

Donald Cameron Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

Ukraine

So the scheme is still live, as it were.

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

14 Dec 2023

Ukraine

I want to ask about the supersponsor scheme, which has been paused since July 2022, which is almost a year and a half ago. Plainly, visas that have been issued under that scheme are still valid, but is there any intention to restart it? Has it now served its purpose? Where doe...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

12 Dec 2023

Topical Question Time · Scottish Government Overseas Meetings (United Kingdom Government Support)

Although Scottish ministers clearly have a role to play in promoting Scotland abroad, that should never infringe on the devolution settlement, which of course reserves foreign affairs to the UK Government. By meeting President Erdogan—of all people—to discuss foreign policy, n...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

07 Dec 2023

Historic Environment Strategy

As colleagues have no further questions, that concludes our evidence session. I express the committee’s thanks to you and to Mr Raftery for attending. We are very grateful for your evidence. We will now move into private session for our final agenda item. 10:36 Meeting conti...

The Deputy Convener Con Committee

07 Dec 2023

Historic Environment Strategy

Finally, I want to ask about community asset transfer, which has been mentioned. You will be aware of the statistic in “Our Past, Our Future” that around a third of all community asset transfers since 2015 have involved a heritage asset. I was quite surprised that the figure i...