Paul Sweeney
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“The single point of contact pilots that we have embarked on are making a significant difference in ensuring that people get the ability to discuss their treatment anxieties and their support. We have invested £2.5 million to expand the reach of that programme across Scotland.”
“As a member of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, I welcome the news on the proposed legislation, which is very welcome. Indeed, it is something that has been long hoped for.”
“It is more precise than conventional radiotherapy, and the team behind the trial in England has begun the process of establishing it in Scotland.”
“I thank Mesothelioma UK for continuing to raise awareness each year through action mesothelioma day. On 3 July, the Scottish Government will proudly show our support by lighting up in blue St Andrew’s house and Victoria Quay in Edinburgh to get behind the go blue for meso campaign.”
“There is an awful lot to be recognised in terms of holding people to account, which has been a feature of this campaign over time. The Scottish Government confirms its commitment to continue to stand alongside those who are affected by mesothelioma, to ensure that they receive the compassionate care and treatment that they require at ever…”
“The fact that there are such abandoned factories and that the people who enter them—whether for urban exploration or whatever else—do not understand the risks that they are exposing themselves to is a difficulty that we must overcome.”
The complete record
Every one of 813 lines we hold for Paul Sweeney, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 17.
“Tony Worthington, David Colraine and John MacDougall were all mentioned as campaigners on this issue who are not here today. We honour their memory by ensuring that we get justice and truth for them and for everyone who is affected by mesothelioma. I extend my thanks to everybody for their contributions and to all who are involved in improving outcomes for people with mesothelioma.”
“The single point of contact pilots that we have embarked on are making a significant difference in ensuring that people get the ability to discuss their treatment anxieties and their support. We have invested £2.5 million to expand the reach of that programme across Scotland. We continue to work in partnership with Macmillan through the transforming cancer care partnership programme, which is worth more than £27 million and provides patients with a specialist key support worker to offer emotional, financial and practical support to people with cancer. I encourage people to go to that service if they need support. As members from across the chamber have said, this debate is not about the past, as the issue is very much in the present. However, we honour all those who have passed and are not here to watch today’s debate.”
“It is more precise than conventional radiotherapy, and the team behind the trial in England has begun the process of establishing it in Scotland. Although that trial and others that are open to recruitment show promise for people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma, I recognise the devastating impact that a diagnosis can have on the wider families and communities that are living with mesothelioma. A diagnosis has a far-reaching impact, and that can be particularly true for cancers that are not commonplace, leaving individuals feeling isolated and alone at a distressing time. The Scottish Government’s 10-year cancer strategy sets out a clear ambition that every person with cancer is at the heart of decisions about their care and is supported in what matters most to them when they need it.”
“I am heartened to hear that several mesothelioma studies have taken place across Scotland, and I understand that four such studies are currently active and open to recruitment. The Scottish Government’s chief scientific officer aims to support and increase the level of high-quality research that is conducted in Scotland and has funded research into mesothelioma treatments. A new clinical trial called HIT-Meso— hemithoracic irradiation with proton therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma—is assessing the use of proton beam therapy for patients with unilateral malignant pleural mesothelioma. Those patients currently face limited treatment options, and proton beam therapy has shown promise in treating other thoracic cancers.”
“I was glad to hear Colm Merrick mention Action on Asbestos, which is based in my Glasgow Central constituency and has done a great deal of work on this campaign and in providing support to people. Other members mentioned the Cape must pay campaign; I agree that £10 million towards clinical research and trials seems to be a small price for such a company to pay, and I welcome the campaign’s contribution in that respect. Clinical trials are being carried out to develop new and effective approaches to the treatment of mesothelioma. They are vital in finding novel ways to treat and detect cancers early. We know that there can be a significant delay between asbestos exposure and symptoms of cancer.”
“I thank Mesothelioma UK for continuing to raise awareness each year through action mesothelioma day. On 3 July, the Scottish Government will proudly show our support by lighting up in blue St Andrew’s house and Victoria Quay in Edinburgh to get behind the go blue for meso campaign. I encourage others who have the ability to do so to light up their buildings or to show their support by dressing in blue. I give special thanks to the Clydebank Asbestos Group, which has provided support to those affected for more than 30 years, and I want to mention the work of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, which also supports people affected by mesothelioma. Heather Anderson mentioned Asbestos Action’s campaigners in Dundee and Tayside. Pauline Stafford mentioned the Scottish Mesothelioma Network.”
“There is an awful lot to be recognised in terms of holding people to account, which has been a feature of this campaign over time. The Scottish Government confirms its commitment to continue to stand alongside those who are affected by mesothelioma, to ensure that they receive the compassionate care and treatment that they require at every stage of their journey. That cannot be achieved through our NHS alone, so I extend my thanks to the third sector, community and social care, industry and other partners who are working collaboratively to improve the outcomes for those who are affected by mesothelioma. In particular, I extend my sincere thanks to all organisations that offer invaluable help and support to anybody affected by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions.”
“The fact that there are such abandoned factories and that the people who enter them—whether for urban exploration or whatever else—do not understand the risks that they are exposing themselves to is a difficulty that we must overcome. There are also stories of people who are adults now but who, in their childhood, messed around in sites with asbestos in it, utterly unaware of the harm that they were exposing themselves to. We need to consider that. The owners of such sites and buildings have a particular responsibility to ensure that they are secure and safe and that they are not being negligent and exposing people to risk. I encourage anybody who is aware of buildings with an owner who can be held to account to ensure that that is done.”
“As a member of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, I welcome the news on the proposed legislation, which is very welcome. Indeed, it is something that has been long hoped for. Does the minister share my concern about the fact that the former Cape Marinite factory in Springburn has been in a state of chronic dereliction and abandonment for 12 years, with the result that the young people who frequently trespass on the site expose themselves to a legacy of asbestos contamination? Will she commit to working with me and Glasgow City Council to resolve the long-term dereliction of that huge industrial facility in Springburn with a view to the site undergoing some sort of regeneration? Alison Thewliss: Paul Sweeney makes a very good point, because the issue is wrapped up in our post-industrial legacy.”
“By refusing to support a new generation of reactors, we are not only losing energy security but exporting highly skilled jobs and billions of pounds in potential investment. We see the consequences of that at Grangemouth—”
“Chapelcross opened in 1959 as one of the world’s first civil nuclear power stations, and it provided secure, uninterrupted baseload electricity to the grid for more than four decades. The late Sir Donald Miller, the visionary electrical engineer who designed our post-war electricity system, expanded that legacy of reliability. He warned that decommissioning our nuclear generating capacity without replacement would leave us with the least reliable and most insecure electricity supply in our country for a century. Under Sir Donald’s leadership in the early 1990s, Scotland enjoyed a system where 60 per cent of our energy was generated by nuclear power, making it one of the greenest and most cost-effective electricity systems in the world. Today, that legacy is being dismantled.”
“We cannot legislate for the weather, so when high-pressure systems settle over the North Sea and plunge us into a wind drought, no amount of installed turbine capacity will generate a single watt of electricity. Furthermore, a stable electricity grid requires physical inertia—the heavy, spinning mass that traditional thermal generation provides—to maintain frequency and prevent blackouts. Without that stable, firm power, Scotland, which was once a leading exporter of secure, low-cost power, is now frequently reduced to importing electricity from English power stations on calm days just to keep the lights on. This is not a new frontier for us; it is our heritage.”
“For too long, the debate that surrounds our energy future has been clouded by an ideological opposition to nuclear power that ignores basic engineering principles and our own successful history. We are told that we must choose between a renewable future and a nuclear one, but I believe that to be a false dichotomy. If we are to truly become a clean energy superpower, we must recognise that wind and nuclear are not rivals but essential partners in a reliable and optimal energy system. The figures speak for themselves. Scotland’s unique environment is perfectly suited for wind and tidal power, yet wind technology is available only between 25 and 45 per cent of the time. To maintain a stable grid with firm power, we require 90 per cent firm power supply, which is exactly what nuclear energy provides.”
“I thank Liam Kerr, who is a member for North East Scotland, for lodging this motion for members’ business, which I was pleased to sign. Scotland gave the world the compound steam engine, the foundations of thermodynamics and the pioneering brilliance of figures such as Sir Samuel Curran and Nobel prize winner C T R Wilson, whose invention of the cloud chamber allowed humanity to see subatomic particles for the first time, and it was at the University of Glasgow that another Nobel prize winner, Frederick Soddy, formulated the concept of isotopes, which unlocked the fundamental chemistry required for nuclear fuel. The atomic age was built in no small part due to Scottish laboratories and research, yet we stand today at a crossroads where our reputation as a global engineering powerhouse is being sabotaged by political ignorance.”
“I am happy to engage with the member on these matters. I think that I have covered most of the points that were raised during the debate. I welcome members’ engagement. I recognise that, ideally, we would have had the opportunity to consider the issue at committee. Should the committee wish to explore the matter in more detail following summer recess, my officials and I would be more than happy to engage with it to do so. I ask Parliament to support the motion that is before it this evening. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate on a motion of legislative consent for the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill. Point of Order 18:13”
“The minister mentioned Dalzell. As the only plate mill that is left in the UK, it is critical to national infrastructure and to steel plate production for shipbuilding. We have already permanently lost the quenching and tempering facility for strengthening steel plates at Clydebridge. Given the information that Mr Rennie has supplied, will the minister make a statement in early course on what the Scottish Government intends to do to develop the Scottish steel industry? Tom Arthur: I can feel the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans’ eyes boring into the back of my head. It would not be for me to do that, and it would be for Parliament to decide that. The member has registered his point, and his party is free to raise the matter through the usual procedures at the Parliamentary Bureau.”
“As for the delays in relation to the appeals system, I set out a number of actions that we will take in that space. We need to work with businesses and listen to them about their experiences, and the engagement led by the Minister for Public Finance, which will continue tomorrow, has been instructive. We need to be mindful not to create a cliff edge—and that relates to some of the challenge that Paul Sweeney has set out in his question today. I am more than happy to give that commitment today. If Paul Sweeney has the specifics of the business in question, I would be more than happy to consider the matter and to pass it to my officials for a more detailed response.”
“In her statement, the Deputy First Minister also promised an improvement to the appeals process. What reassurance and support will she give businesses affected by these extreme rate rises that their appeals will be held in a timely manner before they go under? Jenny Gilruth: One of the points that Paul Sweeney set out in his question is that there are anomalies in the current system. Ministers recognise and understand that, which is exactly why we have committed to the review that I set out today. I am sorry if he does not feel that that goes far enough, but I set out in my statement to Parliament that we are going to look at options to enhance fresh start relief, which is a direct ask of the campaign. That is exactly why we worked to support the Labour amendment three weeks ago.”
“Since the rates revaluation, one hospitality business in Glasgow has had a rateable value increase of 250 per cent, from £0.5 million to over £1.3 million. That is obviously ludicrous, and the business is now shelving a plan for a £25 million expansion, with more than 100 job opportunities lost. This particular case shows that the sharp rates increase has led to the stalling of capital investment and the pausing of new hires—all things that Glasgow needs if it is to remain competitive with other major UK cities. Despite backing Labour’s amendment in the taxation debate just a few weeks ago, the Government has, at best, kicked fresh start relief for new businesses into touch. That is not the fundamental reform that we were promised and which we need.”
“As this is armed forces week, will the First Minister join me in congratulating all ranks of the Royal Regiment of Scotland on its 20th anniversary? Thousands of gallant young men and women from Scotland and across the Commonwealth have served in the regiment over the past two decades, with 23 paying the ultimate sacrifice for their country, including my friend Robert Hetherington. Will the Government formally recognise the regiment’s 20th anniversary? With two-thirds of Scotland’s councils having granted Scotland’s line infantry regiment the freedom of their areas, is the First Minister willing to write to the Lord Provost of Glasgow to encourage her to grant that recognition from Scotland’s largest city?”
“It has been important to have a process of public engagement. I provide assurance to the Parliament that full and detailed consideration will be given to all the opinions that have been expressed to date, including the views that have been articulated by the member, before further action is taken. Banking Services (Rural Areas) 4.”
“The Woodside viaducts are an oversized relic of a bygone era, and they were built far wider and taller than the traffic flow requires, as Glasgow Corporation rightly stepped in to cancel the planned Maryhill motorway in 1975. Rather than accepting a false binary of either spending a fortune to maintain a 1970s concrete scar or completely severing the trunk route, we need a solution suited to modern inner-city urbanism. Will the minister ask Transport Scotland to formally evaluate a compromise approach to replace the obsolete viaducts with a surface-level urban boulevard, taking direct inspiration from international precedents such as San Francisco’s Embarcadero and New York’s Sheridan Boulevard? Tom Arthur: The member’s supplementary question further highlights the range of views that exist on the issue.”
“My fundamental point— this is inescapable—is that, if we do not agree to the variation in standing orders today, Parliament will not have that opportunity.”
“The only consideration operationally in Scotland in relation to the bill would be the Dalzell steelworks in Motherwell, which is a critical industrial facility. Does the minister have an indication of whether the bill will have a direct impact on the operation of and efforts to restart the steelworks in Motherwell or of what the implications might be of the Parliament meeting extraordinarily to ensure that the facility is not affected? Jamie Hepburn: With the best will in the world, I say to Mr Sweeney that that sounds very much like a matter for the substantive debate on the LCM next week, when Parliament decides to grant or withhold consent. The Scottish Government has taken a position and is presenting that to Parliament, and it will be incumbent on Parliament to consider that position.”
“That means providing the necessary funding and structural support for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to exercise its powers rapidly. Crucially, it means advancing public control of fare-box revenue, so that the wealth that is generated by our transport network is reinvested in fostering new routes and keeping fares permanently low, just as was done a century ago. It is time to unwind the damage of deregulation, to reclaim civic ambition and to build an integrated, world-class public transport network for our future needs. I urge members to back passengers over profit and support the Labour amendment.”
“Why is it succeeding where we are stalling? It is because its legislative framework actually works. Contrast Greater Manchester’s rapid progress with the sluggish, agonising pace in greater Glasgow. The Scottish Government routinely praises the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, but the reality is that the legislation is needlessly complex and riddled with hurdles, and it has left regional transport partnerships bogged down in bureaucratic regulation. While Manchester accelerates ahead, Glasgow is being left behind. That is why Labour’s amendment is so critical. We cannot accept more warm words about future legislation. We need the Scottish Government to take active steps now to make bus franchising a reality.”
“We must give immense credit to the leaders of the former Lothian Region, who had the foresight and the political courage to resist the deregulation that was pushed by the Tory Scottish Office and to keep their bus network in public hands. The initial management and employee buyout of Strathclyde Buses culminated in a takeover by First 30 years ago. Today, Lothian Buses remains a shining example of what a publicly owned, integrated municipal transport company can achieve. While Edinburgh protected its public bus network, other cities are now fighting to win theirs back. At the weekend I was in Greater Manchester, and what I saw there was an inspiration. Through the Bee network, Greater Manchester has taken back control of its buses; it is delivering franchising, integrating fares and putting passengers first.”
“We have certainly seen such examples elsewhere in the UK. It is important to recognise that public transport should be a system run entirely for the common good, as it was a century ago. It was so efficient and well managed that the surplus that was generated from the public transport network did not disappear into the offshore bank accounts of private operators; it was reinvested directly into the city economy by the Glasgow Corporation to fund other essential public services. Our city understood at that time that public transport is a vital and fundamental civic asset— and it should be again. The loss of that civic inheritance, driven by the chaotic, ideologically driven deregulation of bus services 40 years ago, has been a disaster for our communities. We need only look along the M8 to see what Strathclyde lost.”
“Ensuring that the new suburbs of municipal housing that were being developed were fully connected to the rest of the city showed a level of joined-up, integrated municipal socialist policy that we rarely see in Scotland today. Michelle Campbell: The member made a point about greater Glasgow. Being from Renfrewshire, I point out that, while it is important to have connectivity into our cities, it is also important that our identities in neighbouring sisterhoods and brotherhoods are protected, too, so that we do not lose out by default because of the need for intercity links. Does the member agree? Paul Sweeney: I absolutely agree. The greater Glasgow city region’s development of those policies and its attempts to improve interregional connectivity are welcome. That presents a huge opportunity to grow the whole city region economy.”
“For 10 years, passengers across Strathclyde have campaigned to wrestle control of our vital public transport arteries back from private monopolies that have spent decades prioritising shareholder dividends over passenger service and economic growth. We do not have to look far or too deep into our history to see what is possible in our country. In the early 20th century, Glasgow was a global pioneer in municipal transport. We built the most extensive electric tramway system anywhere in Britain. Recently, we marked the centenary of the Glasgow Corporation motor bus service, which was launched in 1924 specifically to coincide with the introduction of the landmark Wheatley housing act by the first Labour Government.”
“That staggering self-inflicted wound is holding back the Glasgow city region. That is before we even consider the multiplier effects of supporting our manufacturing sector in Scotland and of public procurement reform, with increased public demand for bus manufacturing supporting wider Scottish manufacturing supply chains. In a city with below-average rates of car ownership and above- average rates of deprivation, that level of self- inflicted economic damage is simply unacceptable. I have been involved in this fight for a long time. A decade ago, I helped to set up the Get Glasgow Moving campaign.”
“I am afraid that the perspective that Mr Hoy offered was one of narrow accountancy, rather than showing a wider understanding of the economic value to our nation of a public transport system. This is not just a matter of passenger inconvenience; it is a profound economic failure for our country. As my friend Mr Johnson said, analysis from Centre for Cities lays bare the true cost of our fragmented public transport system. Given that the network is currently so unreliable, it artificially sinks the effective size of greater Glasgow’s labour market. That connectivity gap stifles agglomeration, limits productivity and creates an economic loss equivalent to 4.5 per cent of the greater Glasgow economy’s gross domestic product, which is equivalent to that of the entire oil and gas industry in Scotland.”
“That added an extra cost to accessing work and reduced her take-home pay. Many workers across Scotland face that dilemma, and it is a clear example of how changes could materially affect the cost of living and improve things for working people across Scotland. I am sure that that example is just one of many. I am keen to get reassurance from the cabinet secretary on one issue. I understand that the commitment is to roll out the £2 bus fare cap in Strathclyde by 16 August, but that date is not in the motion, so it would be good if he could confirm that that is, indeed, the target date. As the Conservative amendment says, bus provision across Scotland is deteriorating, but the solution is surely not more deregulated market competition. That Tory legacy has been an unmitigated disaster for Scotland, and the solution now is public control.”
“Although we welcome such vital social interventions, alongside the roll-out of the £2 bus fare cap—albeit three years behind other parts of the UK—we must confront the basic reality that a concessionary pass or a £2 fare cap is completely useless if the bus simply never turns up or if the route has been scrapped altogether by a private bus company that has pruned its network to push up profits. That is exactly the situation that my mum, as a bank worker, faced when her branch was closed. She was offered alternative employment in another part of Glasgow, but she found that she could not get to her shifts on time because the bus service would not deliver for her. She had to buy a car and commute by car, even though she had previously used the bus and qualified for an over- 60 bus pass.”
“It is a vital measure to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are not cut off from essential services, legal support and their local communities, so it is important that the Government makes that provision permanent. It was one of the best things to be achieved in the previous session, and it involved working with Mr Ruskell from the Greens, Mr Doris from the SNP and Mr Carlaw, the former Conservative member. It demonstrates the Parliament at its best when we can look after the weakest in our society and ensure that social justice prevails.”
“I am pleased to close the debate on behalf of Labour and to formally second the amendment in the name of my friend, the member for Edinburgh Southern. Today’s debate goes to the heart of what our communities need: connection, opportunity and economic equity. We all recognise the immense value of concessionary travel. The original Labour and Liberal Democrat Government scheme, which delivered for the over-60s, and the more recent expansions for young people and disabled people have been genuinely transformative. It is precisely because of that success that I was proud, in the previous parliamentary session, to lead a cross-party campaign to extend the concessionary bus travel scheme to people seeking asylum.”
“Daniel Johnson: That may be true, but why have no such partnerships been brought forward? Why did it take six years for the Government to publish guidelines on bus franchising? Those were published only in March, despite the Transport (Scotland) Bill being agreed to in 2019. Stephen Flynn: The SPT has come forward with such plans, as I am sure Mr Johnson is aware. Of those powers, franchising has perhaps been the subject of the greatest attention from members in the chamber, such as Mr Simpson, and from the public outwith it.”
“We need buses that are affordable, but we also need them to be available. There is much good work taking place across Scotland by operators to ensure that that is the case. I know that only too well, given the service that I use at home every week. However, I recognise and understand that my good experience is not everyone’s experience. If we believe that buses should be not just a commercial service but a core local service, we need to continue to work with operators and stakeholders to ensure that everyone has that good experience in their community. That is why we have already worked to ensure that local transport authorities have more flexibility to respond to their own unique transport challenges. Through legislation, we have given local authorities powers on partnership working, franchising and the ability to run their own services.”
“Stephen Flynn: I feel as though I need to repeat myself: we just ran an election campaign with the commitment to extend the £2 bus fare cap to those areas front and centre. We will seek to do that as quickly as is practically possible. We will then seek to legislate on doing that across Scotland, as per the very sentences that I just said in the chamber. However, I appreciate that Mr Hoy is maybe a bit slow on the uptake on the odd occasion. I assure the chamber that I and my officials are already working with operators, regional partners and stakeholders to make sure that we deliver on the promise that we have made to the people. I know that many members will be keen to learn more, and I hope to be able to share some good news on timings soon. Our ambitions for a £2 fare are clear but they are only part of the story.”
“I am hopeful, based on what Mr Sweeney said, that he will back our proposals when it comes to the budget, because history dictates that his party has not been as co-operative during the budget process as it perhaps could have been to move some of those issues forward in the way that he described. Craig Hoy: Will Mr Flynn take an intervention? Stephen Flynn: I will make some progress, if that is okay—actually, I see that Craig Hoy is desperate to come in, so I will let him. Craig Hoy: For clarification, is the cabinet secretary now proposing to extend the pilot scheme to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area? In light of the experience of the pilot, will there be any subsequent changes before legislation is introduced, or is that a phased roll-out that will require legislation?”
“For several years, my constituents have been frustrated that they are paying the most expensive bus fares in the United Kingdom when other parts of the UK have enjoyed a £2 bus cap for the past three years. They are also frustrated that bus franchising is still not being implemented in Scotland while other parts of the UK have delivered it. Why is the pace so slow? Stephen Flynn: I am not sure that I can go much quicker, having just been elected to this Parliament, than to give the commitment that I just made in relation to our party’s first 100 days in office.”
“He is right to draw attention to what was promised when the People’s Palace was opened in 1898. That is a commitment that we have a collective responsibility to keep, so I assure him that there is no watering down of it. I want to ensure that we are working collaboratively; we recognise that a range of partners is involved in the delivery of the project—including, most importantly, the local community—as well as a range of funders. I recognise the member’s interest in the matter, and I am happy to engage with him closely on it. I assure him of the Scottish Government’s commitment to working constructively with partners to ensure that the People’s Palace and the winter gardens are reopened.”
“During the election, the SNP promised Glasgow all the funding that it needed to complete the restoration, but now that the votes have been counted, that promise seems to have shrunk to starting yet another partnership group, with no sign of the remaining £12 million in capital funding that Glasgow City Council needs to get the restoration project under way. Will the minister guarantee that that group will not be just another talking shop that covers for more delays? Will he upgrade the “appropriate match funding” to a guarantee that all necessary capital funding will be found, and set a firm reopening date for this key Glasgow cultural institution, which has been largely closed to the public for nearly a decade? Tom Arthur: I recognise the member’s significant and long-standing interest in this area.”
“In 1898, when the People’s Palace was opened, it was declared “open to the people forever and ever”. I am sad to say that it has been closed for two years now. However, I pay tribute to the friends of the People’s Palace, who have kept its spirit alive, particularly the pioneering curator, Dr Elspeth King, who passed away in November 2025. We have been waiting two years. It was due to reopen next year, but a £12 million funding gap that the Scottish Government refused to fill has left the project stalled indefinitely.”
“I have set out my willingness to have discussions with Glasgow City Council, community groups and MSPs who are keen to see the glasshouses back up and running. I have also made clear the range of funding sources that exist. I take on board what Mr Sweeney said about revenue versus capital funding, which is a matter that can be taken forward as part of the discussions that I have offered to have. Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools) 2.”
“The cabinet secretary outlined an array of funding options. Capital funding is certainly one aspect, but the challenge in the immediate term is ongoing revenue funding. That issue is a direct result of the Scottish Government’s disproportionate cuts to Glasgow City Council’s core budget. Will the cabinet secretary identify any potential sources of short-term funding that could allow the council to maintain the asset’s operation in the next three months in order to bridge the gap so that we can get an agreed new permanent use in place? Màiri McAllan: I restate that I understand the connection that is felt to the Queen’s park glasshouses. Anecdotally, they provided an important day out for my own family in the south side of Glasgow, and we want to see them continue to do so.”
“In that respect, I must mention the success of the Screen Machine campaigners, and I am really pleased that the Scottish Government was able to support that. Time is against me, but before I wind up, I just want to make it clear that public service broadcasting is absolutely central. It is critical that Scotland’s voice is heard in it, and, as culture secretary, I will be championing that. Our ambitions are absolutely clear: we have a sector that, as members have reflected, has gone from strength to strength and is a real growth area for our economy. However, it also has intrinsic value in providing jobs and growth in Scotland’s communities and in allowing us to tell the stories of Scotland and to put them on a global stage. I am so proud of the success that we have had to date, and I look forward to leading that further.”
“That includes backing Scottish writers, producers and creators to originate ideas here, to retain rights here and to scale those ideas for international markets. We must enable people to emulate the young Liam Kerr in that regard. It is essential that we have a strong pipeline from development through to distribution if Scottish-owned content is to play a larger role in the growth of the sector. I also want to say a word about cinema. Michael Marra, Liam Kerr, Lloyd Melville and Jenni Minto are absolutely right to mention the importance of independent cinema. As well as strongly encouraging folks to enjoy their local cinemas, I want to acknowledge this evening the campaigners who are working to save their independent cinemas.”
“By supporting sustainable jobs, we can strengthen independent production companies, ensuring that value remains here in Scotland and that we have the ability to tell our own stories—something that has felt elusive for too long. We have already seen what can be achieved in productions such as “Summerwater” and “An t- Eilean”, which provided absolutely gripping Gaelic drama. Both those productions were supported by Screen Scotland’s broadcast content fund. Independent Scottish production companies continue to produce work that reaches global audiences and reflects our distinctive voice—a voice that I am so glad is being heard in English, Gaelic and Scots. To build on that, we need to do much more on intellectual property development.”
“Màiri McAllan: It is right to say that, with any kind of disruption—even when Glasgow’s streets are being showcased in international film and TV— we must be considerate of businesses. I am always interested in hearing about ways in which we can do that better. However, there is another angle to reflect on, which is that domestic production is just as important as, if not more important than, our ability to attract international pictures. David Torrance was absolutely right to remind us of that, and Alyn Smith was correct to mention the supply chain and all the behind-the-scenes jobs. When content is developed and owned in Scotland, the benefits go further and last longer.”