Meeting of the Parliament 10 June 2026 [Draft]
I thought that he gave a very good speech. I think that we are aligned on the idea about brass nameplates. It is important that we extract investment into Scotland. We both live in a place that is benefiting from inward investment and the exciting future that Stirling has in the sector, which is quite mind blowing.
I want to comment on Liam Kerr’s speech. The longer I have known him, the more that I have been astonished at the depth and direction of the fella’s talents. I am not entirely surprised that he wrote a screenplay at the age of 20 and sent it to wherever he said he sent it to. Nothing would surprise me about Liam Kerr at all.
I make special mention of Michael Marra and Q Manivannan’s speeches, which highlighted some of the issues. At the end of session 6, under the Deputy Presiding Officer’s convenership, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee conducted an inquiry into the sector and I recommend its report to members. Although there are many bright spots, there are also areas that warrant the attention of parliamentarians, particularly in relation to the direction of public funding. I will mention some other aspects of that report in my brief remarks.
There is no question that Scotland’s screen sector is one of our most exciting economic opportunities. I know that we do not measure everything in economic terms, but it is worth noting that it supports thousands of jobs, generates significant economic activity and showcases Scottish talent and creativity to audiences around the world. As Alyn Smith said, it is a global sector; Michael Marra described it as a “content-hungry” industry.
Alyn Smith mentioned Stirling; I respect the fact that he is the member for Stirling, but I, too, have a great love of the city. Stirling has a proud screen heritage. The historic landscapes and locations in Stirlingshire have featured in productions such as “Outlander”, which has already been mentioned, “Game of Thrones” and—dare I say it—“Braveheart”. Local businesses such as Combat International in the Falkirk area have played their part, too, by providing the specialist expertise that those productions require.
Building on that success, as is alluded to in the motion, is the development of Stirling studios, which will have around 200,000 square feet of studio space and brings the prospect of thousands of jobs. It could be transformational, not just for Stirling but for Scotland, and it could genuinely make Stirling the Hollywood of the British isles—that is what we want.
What makes that development particularly significant is how it all came about—Government had a role to play. The studios will be built on the site of former Ministry of Defence barracks. The land was transferred by the UK Conservative Government through the city region deal, followed by £19 million of levelling-up funds—again, granted by the Conservative Government—to help prepare the site for development.
Those decisions helped to unlock a major economic opportunity for Stirling and Scotland. They also demonstrate something that I know that I have gone on about before in speeches that I have made to the Parliament, which is that, when our Governments work together—when they focus on delivery, growth and investment—great things can begin to happen.
Scotland has so many advantages. I have already mentioned our location, and our creative talent and growing international reputation for high-quality production have also been mentioned. However, if we are serious about becoming a leading destination for film and television production, it is clear that our next challenge is skills—a point that was highlighted in the committee’s report.
Throughout my business career, I have learned that investment follows talent. Studio space and infrastructure matter. However, businesses invest where they can recruit skilled people. That means strengthening links between industry and education. We can do better in that area. This is an industry that is about far more than actors and directors; it is about electricians, engineers, technicians, designers, builders, transport providers, caterers and countless small businesses. That is where the wider economic impact can be felt, which is why the sector matters, and I welcome support for it.
I understand that I am past my allocated time, so I will just say that, if we get this right—which we must do—the rewards, which include creating jobs, supporting businesses and driving economic growth in communities across Scotland, will extend far beyond the studio gates. One thing that I know that we can agree on—it is nice to have a debate in which there is a degree of consensus; there is increased consensus in session 7 of this Parliament—is that we need economic growth in Scotland. The screen sector has the power to deliver that economic growth.