Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid): NPA

Good morning. The first item of business is a statement by Frank McAveety on the cultural review. The minister will take questions at the end of his statemen...

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Mr Frank McAveety): Lab

I thank the members who have made themselves available at this early hour.Today is the start of a new era for Scotland's culture. I know that both the cultur...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I will allow around 20 minutes for that process.

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): SNP

Presiding Officer, I apologise for arriving 30 seconds late. Unfortunately, that came about because we were still waiting for a copy of the statement at 9.20...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I apologise for the late delivery of the speech, but I thought that it was important to get the David Greig quote into it, which I came across earlier this m...

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Con

I thank the minister for the statement. I got it only five minutes before he delivered it, so I have done my best.I agree with the minister when he says:"Our...

Mr McAveety: Lab

It would be wrong of me to prescribe fully what the commission should examine, but I expect that over the next year some of the big questions that Jamie McGr...

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): Lab

Like all back benchers, I did not receive an advance copy of the statement, but I too will do my best.Does the minister agree that many creative pursuits are...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I commend Ken Macintosh for his work in the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish contemporary music industry. With Pauline McNeill an...

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): LD

The setting up of a commission is a good idea that will receive wide support. I welcome the concept of individual rights to culture.Will the minister ensure ...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I expect the commission to address many of the issues that members have raised. The Enterprise and Culture Committee is considering the role of community and...

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): Green

I draw members' attention to my entry in the members' register of interests: I am a playwright member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and a board membe...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I await with interest the commission's recommendations on resource allocation. I cannot pre-empt the commission's work or the discussions that the Executive ...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

From now on, we will need snappier questions and answers to try to get in most members who have requested to speak.

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): Lab

I welcome the minister's statement, particularly the strands of increasing access and equitable provision and maintaining excellence. I have received several...

Mr McAveety: Lab

One of the messages in my statement was that national organisations need to think much more about their responsibility to citizens and the wider public. That...

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): SNP

I am delighted that the minister is pushing to ensure that culture has as central a position in the Government as it has in our lives.How the members of the ...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I envisage the commission comprising a relatively small number of people. As such, it cannot be absolutely representative of the diverse cultural and non-cul...

Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): Con

I give a cautious welcome to the proposed new cultural commission. However, I am not exactly sure how the new body will differ in scope and role from the Sco...

Mr McAveety: Lab

I have achieved something this morning if I have received a cautious welcome from Ted Brocklebank, and I thank him for that.The commission is time limited. I...

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): Lab

I welcome the establishment of the cultural commission under James Boyle. It is time for the initial work of the cultural strategy to be taken forward.The mi...

Mr McAveety: Lab

Like Rhona Brankin, I am passionately committed to the role that culture, arts and creativity can play in the development of young people. The speech that th...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

My regrets to members who were not called. I have allowed an extra six minutes.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): Lab

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Yesterday's Business Bulletin did not say that there was going to be a statement on this subject and I found out only...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

I will make inquiries on that point and come back to you when I have further information.