Neil Bibby
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“Thanks to Scottish National Party cuts, health and social care partnerships across Scotland face a £0.5 billion gap in their budgets this year.”
“The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Meeting closed at 17:20. This is a draft Official Report and is subject to correction between publication and archiving, which will take place no later than 35 working days after the date of the meeting.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Craig Hoy is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Willie Rennie will fall.”
“Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament con…”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S7M-00249.5, in the name of Willie Rennie, which seeks to amend motion S7M- 00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motion S7M-00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
The complete record
Every one of 333 lines we hold for Neil Bibby, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 7.
“Within four days of the announcement, more than 10,000 of our constituents had signed a petition, which was organised by Equity, the trade union, calling for “River City” to be saved. An extensive list of hundreds of esteemed members of the cultural sectors in Scotland and the United Kingdom also oppose the ending of the show and have called on the BBC to think again. Ewan McGregor, Blythe Duff, David Morrissey, Richard E Grant, Robert Carlyle, Frankie Boyle, Lorraine McIntosh, Irvine Welsh and many more have co- signed a letter to the cabinet secretary that calls for his support to stop “River City” being axed. It is an understatement to say that those creatives know a thing or two about the creative sector and should be listened to.”
“From when Bob proposed to Zara in a cherry picker to Scarlett giving birth to Madonna in a taxi, to Raymond blowing up the Tall Ship pub and to this week’s jaw-dropping episode—I will not give away any spoilers—it has provided fans with laughs, tears and memorable moments since 2002. “River City” has been a long-running and successful show that has received a number of nominations and awards over the past 20 years. Most recently, in 2023, it won best drama at the Royal Television Society Scotland awards for its 20th anniversary episode. That is one of the many reasons why great concern has been expressed since the decision to cancel the show was announced. Members should not take only my word for it.”
“I thank the many members, across all the political parties, who supported the motion for debate. That cross- party support shows that “River City” is an important part of Scotland’s culture that is held in affection by many of our constituents. I will address directly why my colleague Jackie Baillie and I lodged the motion and why it is important. Last month, BBC Scotland announced its regrettable decision to cancel “River City”, after more than 20 years on our screens, and to close its Dumbarton studios. That decision has many implications for the viewing public, for jobs and for training opportunities in Scotland’s television industry. “River City” is Scotland’s only home-grown soap.”
“We are very careful to make appropriate decisions in relation to the humanitarian response in Palestine. However, as Mr Bibby has drawn my attention to, there is wider funding that is provided beyond disasters and emergency relief. I will look closely at the point that he makes and write back to him. I will look at the issue, but I am sure, Presiding Officer, that you would wish me to focus my remarks on the humanitarian response in Palestine, which I have done already. Arts and Culture (Geographic Spread and Representation) 5.”
“On the Scottish Government’s international development work, following the previous portfolio questions with the cabinet secretary, he stated in a letter to me that “none of the grants awarded under the climate justice fund have gone to for-profit entities.” However, the 2024 annual report for one of the three organisations that received money from the climate justice fund appears to show net profits and proposed dividends. Will the cabinet secretary look into that again? In the meantime, will he tell the chamber what his definition of “non-profit” is? The Deputy Presiding Officer: The supplementary question does not relate directly to the initial question, but is there anything that the cabinet secretary can add? Angus Robertson: I will try my best, Presiding Officer.”
“That leads me on to the issue of nuclear energy. We can see the energy security and cheaper bills that nuclear has provided in France. Meanwhile, here in Scotland, the Scottish Government’s continued opposition to new nuclear power and small modular reactors is costing Scotland jobs and investment, and I do not believe that that is in Scotland’s national interest. Given the current situation, we need to look differently at our policy positions. Scottish Labour has said that we would lift the ban on new nuclear, which is holding Scotland back. As I stated at the outset, these are uncertain times. Amid the insecurity around the globe, we must not retreat from the world but co-operate with other countries on our common goals, and we must strengthen our industries and security for the benefit of our citizens, businesses and industries. 16:16”
“Considering the uncertainty of the international situation, we must support our industries to ensure that we are well equipped to deal with all eventualities. That is why it was right that the UK Government announced an additional £200 million for the future of Grangemouth. The investment in Scotland’s industrial future will allow for a transition plan for the site. Cementing our energy security is incredibly important, and establishing a public energy company is a key way to do that. That is something the Scottish Government promised and failed to do, but the new UK Labour Government is now taking forward the creation of Great British Energy, a Government-owned renewable energy investment body that will be headquartered in Aberdeen, which will make us less susceptible to the volatility of energy imports.”
“Security takes many forms—economic security, food security, energy security and defence security—and the UK Government is significantly increasing spending on security. That is welcome, and, like Daniel Johnson, I hope that we can have the opportunity to discuss that further. British Steel is vital to our economic and national security and to sectors such as rail, construction and shipbuilding. The UK Government was therefore right to take decisive action to save British Steel and to pass emergency legislation to prevent the last of the UK’s blast furnaces in Scunthorpe from being shut down. If they were allowed to close, the UK would be the only country in the G20 without the ability to make primary steel.”
“Unnecessary barriers to trade and a trade war are not in Scotland’s national interest or in the interests of working people, and any prospective trade deals must be in the interests of businesses, consumers and workers. Isolationism might seem attractive to some, but it has costs. It is not for us to tell other countries what to do, but we must send a signal to the world that we are open for business. There are opportunities from taking that outward-looking approach. I believe that, by utilising the UK’s soft power and brand Scotland, we can, for example, bring more tourists to visit and students to study here. Protecting the safety of our citizens is the Government’s first duty.”
“I wish our friends in Canada and Australia the best as they exercise their democratic rights in the next few weeks. Our relationship with our closest neighbours in Europe is also critical. It is right that the Prime Minister is seeking to reset our relationship with the European Union, as well as ensuring that we work together to strengthen security on the continent and support Ukraine against Putin’s aggression. Turning to the economic situation, the news that President Trump has suspended the proposed increased tariffs for 90 days is, of course, welcome. The liberation day tariff announcement caused an immense amount of uncertainty for businesses and markets around the world.”
“In just a few weeks, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe day, when British and American forces stood shoulder to shoulder, many sacrificing their lives for the liberation of Europe from the Nazis. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was born thereafter, along with the Ottawa agreement, to protect and defend our shared values of freedom and democracy. That founding role, as well as article 5 of the NATO treaty—an attack on one is an attack on all—is as important today as it was then. Of course, also standing with us in those dark days were our friends and allies in the Commonwealth—India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, to name just a few. Our relationship with them remains critical, and we should support them as they have supported us.”
“A positive and special relationship with the United States has been vital to Scotland and the United Kingdom, and it continues to be so. It has spanned countless Presidents, Prime Ministers and generations of our citizens and Americans. Its importance cannot be overstated. Scottish Labour understands that. That is why Anas Sarwar was in New York and Washington recently, and I am sure that that is why the First Minister was also recently in the United States. That relationship has been helped enormously by the presence of the US consulate in Edinburgh since 1798, and I hope that the US State Department will ensure that it remains, as its closure would be a retrograde step.”
“Given the Trump regime’s alignment with anti-democratic forces and its direct threats against previously friendly democratic countries, surely the UK must conclude that it can no longer be treated as a reliable ally. Neil Bibby: I do not agree with that last point, but I will come on to some further thoughts on our relationship with the US. Strong diplomacy is based on common goals and also on trust, and that trust will be tested when there is uncertainty about where countries with which we have had a long relationship are heading and the extent to which we have common goals. In times such as this, we need to ask ourselves some fundamental questions. Where do we stand? What do we want to achieve? What are we prepared to do to achieve those things?”
“That is why I am pleased that the new UK Labour Government and the Prime Minister are providing serious leadership for serious times, with an approach that seeks to bring countries together in co-operation with our global allies and partners, particularly when it comes to our support for Ukraine, for example, but also one that seeks to protect our national security at the same time. Strengthening relations with others while also focusing on our own self-reliance is a difficult but important balance to be struck. Countries always have acted in their own national interest—they always will—and we should be no different. We should also seek to work with international partners on the basis of common goals. Patrick Harvie: Will Neil Bibby say a little more about what he means by international partners with whom we share common goals?”
“The international situation is unpredictable and is evolving rapidly. As the Prime Minister said recently, “The world as we knew it has gone.” The world is changing, trade-offs will be required and we also need to adapt and move with the times. However, we should do so with caution, because misinformation, which we see so readily on social media, can lead to miscalculations. Reliable intelligence from reliable sources and cool heads are required to navigate the difficult terrain that we are in.”
“I will focus my remarks on Scotland’s and the UK’s place in the world—what we must do, what we must not do and the opportunities in relation to our diplomatic, economic and defence policies. A lot of those policy areas are reserved, but, as Daniel Johnson said, some are devolved. It is important to note that there is no motion for today’s debate. That might well reflect the uncertain times that we are living in. My initial thought when I discovered that there would be no motion was that that was perhaps an admission from the Scottish Government that a single motion cannot simply provide the answers to the countless complex challenges that we currently face. That is, on some level, welcome, because anyone here who pretends to have all the answers is, I fear, mistaken, so I welcome the fact that the debate is being facilitated in that way.”
“In opening the debate for Scottish Labour, I join other members in marking the sad passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. He was a much-loved, compassionate and humble man who cared deeply about the poor and welcomed the marginalised. He will be missed, and my thoughts are with all those who are mourning his loss. We meet today to debate global events and their implications for people here and across the world. There is much to discuss, from the new US Administration’s intentions to the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crises in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar and many other places. Like other members, I cannot possibly begin to address all those issues and more in the time that I have, so I refer members to my previous comments on the need for peace and for international law to be upheld in the middle east and in Ukraine.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of action 42 in the cancer action plan 2023 to 2026 to carry out a clinically led review on cancer waiting times. (S6O-04521)”
“To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in its budget for revenue and capital funding for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport for 2025-26. (S6O-04493)”
“I say to the cabinet secretary that if the Scottish Government is serious about the issue, it should get serious about measuring it. I hope that he will respond to those points in his closing speech. This has been a good debate, and we are right to mark Scotland’s renewing its status as a fair trade nation, but we can and must do more to ensure that people around the world get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Bibby. Sadly, the quality of the footballs that the Scottish Parliament team uses is not matched by the quality of the performances. 16:38”
“The premium that is paid on them is used by Bala’s partners in Pakistan to provide discounted groceries for their workers. Sports bodies and clubs should do more, and some schools have purchased Fairtrade sports balls, but more can and should be done to help more schools to follow suit. That leads me to Colin Smyth’s point about procurement. We should have a standardised definition in law of “fairly traded goods” in order to enhance transparency and accountability. Alongside that, we should consider removing existing barriers. As Colin Smyth said, £16 billion is spent on public procurement in Scotland each year, but, despite Scottish Fair Trade’s best efforts, we have little idea how much of that is spent on fair trade.”
“The United Nations has designated 2025 as an international year of co-operatives, and the theme is “Cooperatives Build a Better World”. I associate myself with the Scottish Co-operative Party’s belief that supporting fair trade will contribute to creating that better world. We are right to celebrate Scotland’s efforts to promote fair trade, but, as we look to the future, we can and should do more—members across the parties called for that. George Adam made very valid points in his speech, and I agree with him on sports equipment and the opportunity to expand Fairtrade products in that sector. Bala Sport’s footballs, which, as the Presiding Officer will know, the Scottish Parliament football team has used from time to time, are produced in Pakistan.”
“That is one of the main motivations that brought me into politics, and it is why, for example, I support the new deal for working people, which will strengthen employment rights and increase the national minimum wage in the UK. However, that principle must apply to fair trade internationally, too. Fair trade and Fairtrade premiums play an integral role in ensuring that farmers and workers in the developing world receive fair pay for their produce and safer working conditions. The Co-operative Party, of which I am a member, has been and continues to be hugely supportive of fair trade. In fact, long before it was fashionable, the co-operative movement was an early adopter of fair trade products, and the Co-op was the first supermarket to stock fair trade goods.”
“It is important to recognise all the efforts that are being made to make Scotland a fair trade nation. I echo members’ thanks to all those who have volunteered their time and played a vital role in Scotland achieving that status. As Colin Smyth and the cabinet secretary said earlier, thanks must go, in particular, to Scottish Fair Trade, which was led by former chief executive Martin Rhodes and is now led by Louise Davies. It is also important for us to acknowledge that such work is being replicated in other parts of the United Kingdom, which is what makes us one of the biggest fair trade markets in the world. We heard from Murdo Fraser that, in 2023, £28 million was paid in premiums from Fairtrade products sold in the UK. I have always believed in people getting a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”
“I pay tribute, as George Adam did, to the late Provost John McDowall, who was a champion of the fair trade movement. One of the organisations that John McDowall worked with was Rainbow Turtle, which George Adam also mentioned and which I had the pleasure of visiting earlier this year. Based in Paisley town centre, it is an excellent fair trade shop that has been operating since 2002. It was great to meet the staff and volunteers and see the variety of products that they stock and the work that they do to sell fair trade products. I also want to highlight the work of True Origin, a wholesaler in Paisley that I also visited a few weeks ago. It works with a network of smallholder farmers and producers in the global south in order to source the finest ethical foods.”
“We heard powerful testimony from my colleague Foysol Choudhury, who spoke about the impact that fair trade is having in Bangladesh and how marginalised women have the opportunity to make a fair wage by creating products from upcycled saris, which are sold right here in Edinburgh. Murdo Fraser mentioned Aberfeldy, which became the first Fairtrade town in Scotland, in 2002, and Willie Rennie mentioned St Andrews. Colin Smyth highlighted the work of Holy Cross high school in Hamilton, and I am pleased that pupils and staff from the school have joined us in the gallery and stayed for the duration of the debate—I thank them for that. We heard many other examples from across the chamber of good work, and there are great examples in my area, too. George Adam spoke a great deal about Paisley becoming a Fairtrade town in 2003.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to close the debate for Scottish Labour and to support the amendment in the name of my colleague Colin Smyth. It has been a positive, constructive and, if I may say so, relatively pleasant debate. It is clear from the speeches that there is significant support across the chamber for fair trade. It was good that, in his opening speech, the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture acknowledged the long-standing place of fair trade and Jack McConnell’s role in this Parliament. It is also evident that there is significant support for fair trade across Scotland. We heard many positive examples of work that is being carried out to promote it.”
“Many people have been shocked and saddened by BBC Scotland’s decision to cancel “River City”, with nearly 10,000 people having signed a petition by the trade union Equity to save the show. The decision has implications for jobs, opportunities and viewers. There are serious concerns that plans to replace the show will collectively offer 20 hours less broadcast television time a year to Scottish licence fee payers than the current 33 hours of “River City”. Does the First Minister share my concerns about that decision, and the concerns of Jackie Baillie and I about the potential loss of the Dumbarton studios, which are also used for many other productions? Ahead of the 2027 charter renewal, will the Scottish Government seek guarantees that BBC Scotland’s budget will be invested in local TV and film production?”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In my question earlier, I referred to the Scottish international fund. I should have referred to the climate justice fund. I wanted to clarify that at the earliest opportunity. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Bibby. That is now on the record. That concludes portfolio questions on constitutional affairs. Before we move on to the next portfolio, there will be a brief pause to allow the front-bench teams to change. Justice and Home Affairs”
“Historic Environment Scotland (Safe Working Environment for Women) 2.”
“I understand that Scotland’s International Development Alliance has previously raised concerns about grant funding from the Scottish international fund going to multinational for-profit organisations. What assessment, if any, has the Scottish Government made of those concerns? Will it review the issue? Angus Robertson: I assure Neil Bibby that we keep everything in this policy area under constant review, but I will refer his question to officials to ensure that I provide him with the most up-to-date information. I would be content to meet him, or the organisation that he referred to, to discuss any outstanding issues. There is cross-party consensus on the good work that the Scottish Government is able to deliver in that area, and I want to ensure that it continues to be held in the high regard that it has been thus far.”
“That was the Conservatives. The First Minister: I know that it was the Conservatives. I am well aware that it was them: I am across the factual detail that it was them. I am simply pointing out that I am not going to take lectures about the actions of a United Kingdom Government when that is the record of the United Kingdom Government. Clean Heating 3.”
“Although nothing can undo the horrors that many have had to endure, I hope that the warm and hospitable environment of this country has offered some comfort. As a country, and as a Parliament, we should again unite and resolve to support Ukraine so that it can find a just and lasting peace. 17:32”
“I pay tribute, as Colin Beattie did in opening the debate, to the good people of this country and the many organisations that have been incredibly welcoming to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. Ukrainian refugees of all ages have been able to integrate into Scottish society. We must continue to support them and recognise, as Stephen Kerr said, that many of them wish to return to their homeland as soon as possible. I understand that there are 78 Ukrainian pupils attending Renfrewshire high schools. I welcome the work that Renfrewshire Council is doing to assess how many of those young people are planning to sit Scottish Qualifications Authority exams this year and to support them throughout that process.”
“Those sanctions will disrupt Russia’s military supplies and financial support. The Prime Minister has also shown leadership on the international stage, working effectively with our allies in the interests of Ukraine. That diplomacy has involved holding regular and constructive conversations with world leaders to try to reconcile differences and support Ukraine. That is why the Prime Minister hosted a summit in London with 18 leaders from around Europe and from Turkey and Canada. Those efforts by the Prime Minister have embodied the phrase “actions speak louder than words”. Peace will come for the people of Ukraine. However, it is imperative that the United Kingdom plays its role in ensuring that that is a just peace. Finally, I want to say a word about the Ukrainian refugees who have made our country their home over the past three years.”
“diplomacy.”—[Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 27 February 2025; c 2.] I therefore welcome the fact that the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and the British Government have already taken further action on all three of those points and have committed to increase defence spending, as Stephen Kerr said, to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product to secure and strengthen Britain’s national security. On weapons to Ukraine, a £2.26 billion loan has been given by the UK Government, and a deal worth £1.6 billion has been signed with defence manufacturers to supply thousands of advanced air defence missiles to Ukraine. That is being funded through the largest package of economic sanctions on Russia since 2022, with 107 new sanctions announced.”
“We must also maintain our condemnation of Putin and his unlawful war. I pay tribute to President Zelenskyy for his strong leadership throughout the war and to the people of Ukraine. I know that that solidarity with the people of Ukraine is felt by members across the Parliament and people across these isles. Yesterday, with Anas Sarwar, I had the privilege of meeting, once again, the consul for Ukraine in Scotland. I reiterate the points that he made last week before the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. He said: “Ukraine ... needs three powers ... the power of weapons .... economic sanctions and ...”
“I welcome the debate that Colin Beattie has brought to the chamber. These are troubling times. Three years ago, Putin began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, attacking its people and its sovereignty. Over the past three years, the Ukrainian people have displayed immense bravery, strength and resilience in the face of a tyrannical aggressor. We can see that resilience from pictures online and on our televisions. That resilience was also on display at the “Invicta Ukraine”—unbroken Ukraine—event that I attended last week at Glasgow cathedral, where the Ukrainian community in Scotland commemorated three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When Ukraine was attacked, so too were the values of democracy, freedom and human rights. We must remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine to ensure that those treasured values are upheld.”
“The First Minister: I do not think that I could have been clearer about the Scottish Government’s support for the Prime Minister’s efforts. That is expressed openly and genuinely to Parliament, and I wish the Prime Minister well in what he is trying to achieve. I do not underestimate the scale of the challenge that he faces, but I wish him well in that effort. We will take whatever steps we can to support him in that dialogue, to ensure that there is cohesion and resolution, and to ensure that the security guarantees that I mentioned to Kenneth Gibson can be delivered for the people of Ukraine and that their sovereignty can be protected.”
“The consul of Ukraine in Scotland, who is in the gallery, told Parliament just a few days ago that Ukraine needs three powers: weapons, economic sanctions and diplomacy. I welcome the fact that, over the past few days, the Prime Minister has taken action on all three by pledging more weapons for Ukraine, funded by sanctions on Russian assets, and by providing steadfast diplomatic support. What will the Scottish Government do to support the Prime Minister and the UK Government to provide the things that Ukraine says that it needs? The First Minister rightly talks about the need for a “united front”, but does he agree that that applies not only to our actions but to our words? Will he ensure that nothing will be said by members of his Government that undermines the efforts of the Prime Minister to support Ukraine and find a lasting peace?”
“On local authorities and the provision of rentable property, I am delighted that Parliament passed the budget, which will provide local authorities with extra resources that may go some way towards obviating the challenge that Mr Bibby identifies. I point out to the chamber that Mr Bibby abstained on the question of whether local authorities should have more money and, indeed, whether the culture sector should have its record increase in funding.”
“It is welcome that a number of cultural organisations will see their funding increase. However, there is a general concern that money that is given by one hand could be taken away by another through increased rents, given the knowledge of the increase in their funding. Does the cabinet secretary agree that all providers of premises to cultural organisations, including local authorities, should not seek to take advantage of any uplift and should therefore limit the proposed increase in rents and other building costs? Angus Robertson: Frankly, the biggest concern that I have about one hand taking away while the other is giving relates to the Labour Government’s increase in employer national insurance contributions. I have made my point, and I will underline that point, because that is the biggest single challenge.”
“The election in July of a new UK Labour Government that is committed to resetting the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Governments was and is a significant moment that provides us with an important opportunity to end the performative politics and to usher in a period of co-operation rather than conflict between Scotland’s Governments. I will try to concentrate on areas where we can agree, but I have to say that much of the rhetoric from the Deputy First Minister today appears to be very performative, particularly when we consider the claims about NHS privatisation and the number of my constituents who are having to pay for private treatment on the NHS right now under the”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on protecting the powers of the Scottish Parliament. Given that this is the second debate in two consecutive days brought forward by the Scottish Government on UK Government policy, I would be more grateful to speak in a debate on using the Scottish Parliament’s powers. For far too long, the people of Scotland were badly let down by the previous Tory Government, not just with its disrespect for devolution but with the performative constitutional fights between itself and the SNP Government. Those constitutional fights may have been politically convenient for the parties involved, but they did nothing to improve the lives of the people we represent.”
“The Scottish Government has set out an approach to future work, and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport will update the Parliament on the tender and procurement for the second phase of the small vessel replacement programme.”
“Securing future work will be key to securing the future of Ferguson’s yard. Board papers from May last year say that it got positive legal advice on a direct award for the small vessel replacement programme. The GMB union would like to know what the Scottish Government’s reaction was to that advice and why the Government did not act on it. If Ferguson Marine does not get the award of the contract in the first round, will the direct award still be considered for the second round? Kate Forbes: As I said in my answer to Edward Mountain, a live procurement process is underway and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on it. It needs to go down the road that is understood for those processes.”
“I wish to assure Neil Bibby that this is much more than a step in the right direction. He pointed out the issue of organisations not receiving support or receiving transitional support. I am satisfied that that will put applicants as a whole to work in the right direction on a firmer financial footing, but I will make sure that Creative Scotland answers directly to him. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, cabinet secretary. I reiterate that we have limited time. I am keen to get everybody who wishes to pose a question to do so, but that now looks less likely, I have to say. Succinct questions and answers are always helpful.”
“He says that the increase in funding is a step in the right direction, which it is. It is a massive step in the right direction, and I know that arts organisations in the rest of the UK, among others, would wish the Labour UK Government to introduce what we are doing in Scotland. Neil Bibby asks me a number of technical questions about Creative Scotland’s decisions, but I am here to announce in general terms the Government’s reaction to the decisions made by Creative Scotland. I will make sure that Creative Scotland directly answers those technical questions, in the same way that similar questions are answered by the likes of Historic Environment Scotland. I look forward to seeing those answers from Creative Scotland, which is an arm’s-length organisation.”
“The cabinet secretary also stated the average uplift in grants. Will he tell us what the range of those uplifts is, how many organisations received what they asked for in full and what other support will be provided, or is being considered by the Government, to organisations that are not in receipt of Government funding or those that have not been funded in full? Angus Robertson: First, I take the opportunity to welcome Neil Bibby’s welcome, which came straight out of the trap, and I thank him for that. We all have a stake in the issue. When we make speeches committing to the culture sector, it contributes to a more general understanding of how important culture and the arts are. The Opposition and the Government play a role in that, so I commend him for his support in that endeavour.”
“Scottish Labour welcomes the increase in funding for the culture sector, which, of course, has been helped by the new United Kingdom Labour Government’s record budget settlement for Scotland. We have consistently called on the Scottish Government to keep its commitments to the sector and to end the constant cycle of promises followed by cuts under the Scottish National Party, which has left the sector in crisis for far too long. After lengthy delays, we are now finally seeing a step in the right direction, but claims that it will be truly transformational are questionable, given the effects of years of standstill funding and inflationary pressures. The cabinet secretary said that a number of organisations narrowly missed out. How many organisations missed out, and what does transition support for them mean in practice?”