Committee
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee 18 January 2024
18 Jan 2024 · S6 · Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Item of business
Budget Scrutiny 2024-25
If we want to sustain culture and cultural activity and participation, it is important that we ensure that the right resource—whatever that is—is in place. I am interested to know whether the Government has carried out an assessment of this budget and how it will impact jobs, venues and cultural participation and activity. I say that because the committee heard evidence last week from Fran Hegyi of the Edinburgh International Festival about the need for levels of investment to “match the level of ambition”. The cabinet secretary will be aware that the committee has carried out a culture in communities inquiry. Lori Anderson from Culture Counts told us that “Since the committee conducted its pre-budget scrutiny, Community Leisure UK has conducted a survey of its membership. It reported that 60 per cent of Scottish members are facing a budget deficit” and that “29 per cent of members are preparing for closures”.—Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 11 January 2024; c 19, 23. At a local level, we know that 83 community facilities, including dozens of libraries, have closed between 2009 and 2020 and that, for example, there has been a 16 per cent cut in funding over that period in library spend by local councils, and we know how significant that is. Earlier, you said that you want to speak with COSLA to ensure that it understands the important role that culture plays. I am sure that it is well aware of that important role, but its funding has been cut and cut and its core revenue funding is set to be cut again, by £63 million. Therefore, in the important interests of sustaining cultural services, in addition to the national organisations sustaining their culture services under the current settlement, how do you expect councils to sustain cultural venues and keep them open, when so many are at threat of closure and when councils’ funding is being cut?
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
Welcome back. Our third item is our final evidence session on the budget. We are joined by Angus Robertson, the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Exter...
The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (Angus Robertson)
SNP
It is always a pleasure to be back at the committee, convener, and thank you for the opportunity to make some opening remarks. First, I would like to thank a...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you very much, cabinet secretary. Your opening statement answered many of the questions that were asked by cultural organisations last week, so thank y...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I do not think that there is a single, silver bullet through any of the different organisations or funding streams to help the Scottish culture and arts sect...
Mark Ruskell
Green
I come back to your comments about how the additional £6.6 million will be allocated, and the priorities and themes in relation to that spend. The impression...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I acknowledge the importance of those funds for Creative Scotland as it goes through the significant funding change to multiyear funding. The Scottish Govern...
Mark Ruskell
Green
Thanks for that detailed answer. Other members might also be interested to come in on this issue, but I want to go back to your comments about the need to ...
Angus Robertson
SNP
No. One of the things that I am optimistic and upbeat about is that, given where we have come from—the committee has taken a considerable amount of evidence ...
Kate Forbes
SNP
Some of those who gave evidence previously commented that they were enormously relieved by the budget this year. One comment was about the tension between en...
Angus Robertson
SNP
On the point about relief in the sector that we are turning a corner in funding, a significant number of people in the sector have been very kind about the f...
Kate Forbes
SNP
One other question that is indirectly linked concerns the economic powerhouse of culture. We all know that Scotland faces challenging economic circumstances,...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I agree entirely. To take only one example of that, if one needed any evidence for it—we are getting increasing amounts of evidence about the economic impact...
Kate Forbes
SNP
Thank you.
Donald Cameron
Con
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-ter...
Angus Robertson
SNP
Thank you for the question—there was a lot in there. I understand that everybody who cares about the culture and arts sector wants the maximum financial supp...
Donald Cameron
Con
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 ...
Angus Robertson
SNP
First off, Edinburgh has a deserved reputation as the festivals capital of the world, and not just because of the decades of festivals that we have had in Sc...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Good morning, cabinet secretary. Following on from Donald Cameron’s question, I note that, last week, we heard about the need for urgency as well as clarity....
Angus Robertson
SNP
It is in addition to the £15 million-plus in this budget. It is cumulative. What we are saying is that, every year, the funding will be in addition to the mo...
Neil Bibby
Lab
My point was that, up until now, there was talk of a minimum of an extra £25 million coming online, but I understand that it is £25 million.
Angus Robertson
SNP
Sorry, but can I stop you there? I have just said that it is £25 million in addition to the £15 million-plus that is being committed in this budget, so it is...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Yes, but previously the indication was that it would be a minimum of £25 million—
Angus Robertson
SNP
I have just confirmed, again, that it is cumulative, so it is just over £40 million additional.
Neil Bibby
Lab
The point that I was going to make is that it would have been a minimum of £40 million if it was more than £25 million. In terms of the clarity that you are...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I have now said this three or four times, I think, so there should be no doubt about the clarity of the commitment that has been given about the additional £...
Neil Bibby
Lab
On that, the Government has pointed to an increase in this budget, as it has done on a number of occasions. However, we know that the culture budget was cut ...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I totally understand the question that Mr Bibby is asking and that is being asked by people in the wider culture and arts sector who, understandably, want ma...
Neil Bibby
Lab
If we want to sustain culture and cultural activity and participation, it is important that we ensure that the right resource—whatever that is—is in place. I...
Angus Robertson
SNP
We need to be fully aware that the support of culture is not just the responsibility of the Scottish Government and Scottish Government agencies. Working in ...
The Convener
SNP
I am a wee bit conscious of the time because we also have a private agenda item this morning, but I will move to questions from Mr Stewart.