Culture in Parliament - January 2023
Culture Counts monitors the Scottish and UK Parliament for discussions and questions about the Culture Sector. We’ve listed recent committee business and chamber questions in each house below.
The link attached to each item will take you to the Official Report, where you can read the Government response and further discussion around each item.
Scottish Parliament
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 12 and 19 January 2023
The two most recent meetings of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee contained a great deal of focus on the impact of the 23-24 budget on Scotland’s culture sector, with evidence from:
Moira Jeffrey (Scottish Contemporary Art Network), Sir John Leighton (National Galleries of Scotland), Iain Munro (Creative Scotland), Alex Paterson (Historic Environment Scotland), Chris Sherrington (Music Venue Trust), Donald Smith (Festivals Edinburgh), Angus Robertson (Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture) and Rachael Mckechnie (Deputy Director, Major Events and Themed Years, Scottish Government)
Report on 12 January Committee Meeting
Report on 19 January Committee Meeting
Portfolio Question Time, Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, 11 January 2023
Question by Michael Marra, North East Scotland
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with representatives of Sistema Scotland (S6O-01741)
Historic Environment Scotland (Reopening of Sites)
Question by Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to accelerate the reopening of historic sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland. (S6O-01743)
Children and Young People’s Theatre
Question by Paul O’Kane, West Scotland
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting children and young people’s theatre. (S6O-01744)
Creative Industries (Workplace Ownership)
Question by Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding what support is available for anyone working in creative industries, including the Belmont cinema in Aberdeen, who may wish to take control or ownership of their workplaces. (S6O-01745)
Question by Jamie Halcro Johnston, Highlands and Islands
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Creative Scotland’s actions following the announcement of the draft budget. (S6O-01746)
General Question Time, 22 December 2022
Question by Michelle Thomson, Falkirk East
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to supporting the gaming industry in Scotland during the cost of living crisis. (S6O-01733)
Asset Transfers and Community Empowerment Debate, 15 December 2022
(Extract): Oban Communities Trust was established in 2014 following a community campaign to purchase and save the building. The local community had identified a desire to establish a cultural hub that would support four themes determined through extensive community consultation. The former classrooms now host a programme of events, workshops and activities that cover those themes: arts and culture, history and heritage, community wellbeing, and education and enterprise. The Rockfield team works with local service providers—for example, Alzheimer Scotland, Dementia Scotland, Enable Scotland, Young Carers, and health and education services—to create activities that meet their needs.
Health Inequalities (Report) Debate, 14 December 2022
Clare Adamson, Motherwell and Wishaw
(Extract): I will reflect on the work that the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee has looked at in relation to the wellbeing society, which is something that we all aspire to, and cover three areas: the wider benefits of culture, mainstreaming and preventative spend. I will start with what University College London in its submission to the committee described as the “grade A evidence” on the impact of music to support infant social development, reading to support child social development, and the arts to support aspects of social cohesion, improve wellbeing, and reduce physical decline in older age.