Chamber
Plenary, 28 Feb 2001
28 Feb 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Teaching Centres of Artistic Excellence
That point was raised by Mr Monteith; I will respond to it in my concluding remarks.
To suggest, as the motion does, that the Executive's policy discriminates against teaching centres of excellence is to belittle the achievements of acclaimed Scottish institutions such as the University of Glasgow, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Queen Margaret University College. Those teaching institutions are renowned for their artistic excellence and their alumni number among them some of our greatest talents. Like many other institutions across Scotland that run courses of artistic excellence, those teaching centres of excellence are recognised by the Executive: they are funded accordingly and their students are supported by the Executive through its funding bodies. I do not understand how it can be suggested that the Executive discriminates against teaching centres of excellence for dance and drama.
The basis of the motion seems to arise not from a concern for the wide spectrum of dance and drama tuition available in Scotland, as has been mentioned by others, but from its supporters' concerns for the economic well-being of Ballet West—a specific private sector dance provider—and its 20 or so student places.
To suggest, as the motion does, that the Executive's policy discriminates against teaching centres of excellence is to belittle the achievements of acclaimed Scottish institutions such as the University of Glasgow, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Queen Margaret University College. Those teaching institutions are renowned for their artistic excellence and their alumni number among them some of our greatest talents. Like many other institutions across Scotland that run courses of artistic excellence, those teaching centres of excellence are recognised by the Executive: they are funded accordingly and their students are supported by the Executive through its funding bodies. I do not understand how it can be suggested that the Executive discriminates against teaching centres of excellence for dance and drama.
The basis of the motion seems to arise not from a concern for the wide spectrum of dance and drama tuition available in Scotland, as has been mentioned by others, but from its supporters' concerns for the economic well-being of Ballet West—a specific private sector dance provider—and its 20 or so student places.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S1M-1251, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on discrimination against teaching centres ...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the decision of the Department for Education and Employment to introduce Dance and Drama Awards for students to study at institutio...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I am pleased to be able to introduce this debate today; I thank all members who signed the motion.A number of members have asked why the motion is so long—it...
Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab):
Lab
I point out, for the purposes of the Official Report, that I voted erroneously in the previous debate. I offer my apologies to Robin Harper; I was not paying...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I welcome the debate and congratulate Kenny Gibson on securing it—and on securing a spot or two on the lunchtime and evening news, publicising the problems o...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
A horrible thought.
Mr Monteith:
Con
It is a horrible thought, but it might be worse if it were me. The minister may pirouette as much as he wants, but until there is some action rather than min...
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD):
LD
I support the motion that was introduced by Kenny Gibson.Mike Rowell, the administrator of Ballet West, has been in contact with me since 6 June 2000. I beli...
Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I support Kenny Gibson's motion, but I am sad to say that George Lyon did not sign the motion and neither did any Labour members—perhaps they did not notice ...
Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Kenny Gibson on securing the debate. There is no doubt that the current system gives rise to a waste of talent and, to an extent, an artistic ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I am not sure whether I have to declare an interest, in that I once starred in a ballet. It was performed by the staff of a school at the variety show that w...
The Deputy Minister for Sport and Culture (Allan Wilson):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity with which Kenneth Gibson has presented me to respond for the Executive in this debate. It is an appropriate platform on which to r...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
Why then, on 21 July 2000, did the Scottish Executive write to Ballet West saying that "there is no widespread evidence of demand for post-16 Dance and Drama...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
That point was raised by Mr Monteith; I will respond to it in my concluding remarks.To suggest, as the motion does, that the Executive's policy discriminates...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I, too, met Mike Rowell at a surgery in Oban. He clearly outlined the situation. Is the minister saying that Ballet West is not an incorporated college? Is h...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
I have said nothing of the sort. I am coming to private sector provision now.I welcome the part that many private sector providers play in the provision of d...
Linda Fabiani rose—
SNP
Allan Wilson:
Lab
Let me continue. I am sure that I shall come to Linda Fabiani's point.I recognise that Ballet West's Scottish students—as Elaine Murray, among others, recogn...
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
I intervene because I do not know a lot about this subject and I would appreciate some clarification from the minister. Is there any establishment for the ex...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
Linda Fabiani has raised the point that I was steadily making my way towards in concluding our debate. Brian Monteith, Kenny Gibson and others talked about d...
Meeting closed at 17:42.