Chamber
Plenary, 07 Feb 2007
07 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Tartan
With Lochcarron of Scotland, Andrew Elliot Ltd and Robert Noble in my constituency, I am extremely lucky to be the constituency representative of the finest tartan manufacturers in the world—my colleague Ken Macintosh, who has other loyalties, is querying that, but I am afraid that we will have to have that debate outside. I am delighted that we are having this debate and that the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has asked that representatives of the Scottish textiles industry and Scottish Enterprise officials take forward the register through formal discussions.
The real issue is how we ensure that our financial interest in this cloth is protected. Margo MacDonald asked Jim Mather to name the two Chinese people who would recognise tartan as Scottish, and I have sympathy for Mr Mather's difficulty in naming them on the spot. However, Margo MacDonald answered her own point: Chinese, Indian and English companies are manufacturing cheaper and poorer-quality cloth—tartan tat, as she said. The issue is how we ensure that that does not harm our indigenous manufacturing industry.
Although I have considerable sympathy for Jamie McGrigor and Ken Macintosh's arguments for a national body and a nationalised approach, I think that every opportunity in the private sector should be explored first.
We have an exciting, dynamic and embracing tartan industry, which has caught the imagination of young people and old across the world, because of the personal commitment of Alistair Buchan and others. Those designers and manufacturers have been the real keepers of the brand since the war. Jim Mather addressed the brand in his speech, which all members agreed with.
We have been debating the ancient cloth of the land—it is grown from the land, literally. The original earth colours of tartan are the earth colours that are represented in the carpets in this building. People around the world see them as distinctive, and they are cherished at home.
Tartan brings a significant financial benefit to modern Scotland. Perhaps more than other features, it has defined modern Scotland itself. Jamie Stone outlined precisely when modern Scotland dates back to—1822, when my erstwhile constituent, Sir Walter Scott, was the master of ceremonies during the visit to Edinburgh of George IV. It was Scott's contention that, only 76 years after the Jacobites were hanged at Carlisle, Highland tartan should clad the King. With the King resplendent in his royal Stewart kilt over—as Jamie Stone said—his salmon-coloured tights, one of the great public relations stunts in Scottish history had been carried off, and modern Scotland was born. Just as the question of branding Scotland is controversial today, it was controversial then. Scott's son-in-law said that the event was a travesty and a hallucination.
The real issue is how we ensure that our financial interest in this cloth is protected. Margo MacDonald asked Jim Mather to name the two Chinese people who would recognise tartan as Scottish, and I have sympathy for Mr Mather's difficulty in naming them on the spot. However, Margo MacDonald answered her own point: Chinese, Indian and English companies are manufacturing cheaper and poorer-quality cloth—tartan tat, as she said. The issue is how we ensure that that does not harm our indigenous manufacturing industry.
Although I have considerable sympathy for Jamie McGrigor and Ken Macintosh's arguments for a national body and a nationalised approach, I think that every opportunity in the private sector should be explored first.
We have an exciting, dynamic and embracing tartan industry, which has caught the imagination of young people and old across the world, because of the personal commitment of Alistair Buchan and others. Those designers and manufacturers have been the real keepers of the brand since the war. Jim Mather addressed the brand in his speech, which all members agreed with.
We have been debating the ancient cloth of the land—it is grown from the land, literally. The original earth colours of tartan are the earth colours that are represented in the carpets in this building. People around the world see them as distinctive, and they are cherished at home.
Tartan brings a significant financial benefit to modern Scotland. Perhaps more than other features, it has defined modern Scotland itself. Jamie Stone outlined precisely when modern Scotland dates back to—1822, when my erstwhile constituent, Sir Walter Scott, was the master of ceremonies during the visit to Edinburgh of George IV. It was Scott's contention that, only 76 years after the Jacobites were hanged at Carlisle, Highland tartan should clad the King. With the King resplendent in his royal Stewart kilt over—as Jamie Stone said—his salmon-coloured tights, one of the great public relations stunts in Scottish history had been carried off, and modern Scotland was born. Just as the question of branding Scotland is controversial today, it was controversial then. Scott's son-in-law said that the event was a travesty and a hallucination.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on the promotion of tartan and Scotland's tartan industry.
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Allan Wilson):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity that today's debate gives us to look at one of Scotland's most iconic and readily recognisable images—tartan. The subject evokes a ...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
How does the minister intend to build consensus around the objective that he just outlined—which I support fully—to ensure that some practical action comes o...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
I will explain the initial steps by which we will seek to secure the consensus that John Swinney and I, and probably the whole chamber, wish to see. I tend t...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
I might have misheard the minister, but I believe that he said that the situation with tartan is wholly unregulated. However, the Scottish Tartans Authority ...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
The member is correct. It has been suggested that there is little time for this debate, but it seems to have stimulated the kind of discussion that I hoped i...
Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I give the warmest possible welcome to the minister's words and, indeed, welcome this opportunity to reinforce tartan's iconic importance.Scotland, of course...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
With reference to the learned professor's claim that 98 per cent of the world's population has some idea of what Scotland means, do we have any notion of how...
Jim Mather:
SNP
Professor Michael Porter's reputation suggests that a somewhat more systematic approach would have been taken. Certainly, his work has passed muster—I believ...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
Alex Salmond. Laughter.
Jim Mather:
SNP
If we are going to talk about the living dead, it might be Prime Minister's question time that features, Mr Stone. The book is all about the efficacy of trib...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Allan Wilson, the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, on securing the debate.I listened carefully to what the minister said....
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I congratulate Jamie McGrigor on introducing the Scottish Register of Tartans Bill. I also congratulate members on their speeches, including Jim Mather. I ag...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I wonder whether the member would like to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the Whig Government of the time for the act of proscription 1747.
Mr Stone:
LD
That is tempting.Tartan was proscribed north of the Highland line. If a person wore a greatcoat or jacket of tartan, they were subject either to six months' ...
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
It was George IV.
Mr Stone:
LD
That is absolutely correct. I stand corrected—I meant George IV.Sir Walter Scott persuaded George IV to come north to Edinburgh in 1822. It is well known tha...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We come to the open debate. If we do not have too many digressions, every member who wants to speak will be able to do so.
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
I am pleased to speak in the debate. I inform members of my interest in Scotland's tartan industry: my wife's family has been involved in kilt making for six...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
Does the member agree that, unless protection is built into the Scottish Register of Tartans Bill such that the only tartan that matters is that produced in ...
Mr Macintosh:
Lab
I admire John Swinburne's hopes, but unfortunately I do not think that what he suggests will be possible. We have to take an inclusive approach to tartan. I ...
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
I appreciate the member's arguments, but can he appreciate that part of the success of the modern tartan industry has been the lack of bureaucracy? We have a...
Mr Macintosh:
Lab
I appreciate Mr Purvis's concerns, just as I appreciated Mr Swinburne's concerns. However, I do not think that the register will take a judgmental approach a...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
As my colleague Jim Mather has stated, the Scottish National Party welcomes the Executive's proposals. We look forward to seeing what the Executive will outl...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
I congratulate the minister on changing his mind. I certainly remember the time when he and people of his age group denigrated tartan—I will come back to tha...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
The Scottish Register of Tartans Bill came before the Enterprise and Culture Committee, and I rise as a member of that committee to discuss how we reacted to...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
With Lochcarron of Scotland, Andrew Elliot Ltd and Robert Noble in my constituency, I am extremely lucky to be the constituency representative of the finest ...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
Will the member give way?
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
If I have time later on, I will give way.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
You will not have time; you have one minute left.