Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you, convener. If I understand things correctly, the European maritime and fisheries fund share for Scotland, based on the evidence and on sea area, would have been around £62 million per annum. I do not believe that we have received that, despite Scotland’s other Government promising to match European funds on withdrawal from the European Union. How has that impacted on the work that Marine Scotland can do and on the flexibility that your department has?

Ariane Burgess asked about how the competitive process may—or may not—have worked for some of the councils involved. We got really clear information from the Scottish Futures Trust about the relationships that had been built up between councils and communities. I would be interested in hearing whether you have any thoughts on that. There was also discussion about the pipeline of projects. You mentioned that projects that were not successful in the most recent round are still being looked at. Do you have anything to add on that?

Last week, the representative of my council—Argyll and Bute Council—talked about separation and how taking the process away from island communities was not in the spirit of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. What are your thoughts on that?

It was really helpful to hear about the work that goes on with the island boards and what have you. We have heard a lot of evidence today and in previous weeks about the importance of feedback and listening to communities, and of feeding back to the communities on how things will change.

I will take the convener’s lead and jump around a wee bit. Can you confirm that the NFUS co-convenes the ARIOB and that, therefore, there is a relationship between the NFUS and the organisation? I also introduce the idea of a vacuum—is there a vacuum, if that is the right word to use, of information and collaboration in relation to Scotland’s other Government, which it did not elect?

May I ask something?

Convener, you raised the fact that Scotland has two Governments, so it is reasonable to make that request.

As I travel around Argyll and Bute, I get a lot of feedback from constituents, including, in particular, those who live on the islands, who say that they really understand what their island and community need. Looking to the allocation of money in the future, whatever that might bring, how will you learn from the responses that we have had regarding the funding and the allocations and learn more deeply from the communities that would argue that they know best?

I will take you up on that, thank you.

It feels very joined up from the way that you have talked about it. I noticed in the papers today that the BBC had a programme launch and it was talking about the cost of living crisis. It said that it will be transmitting programmes that are about escapism but also resilience and that there will be cost of living elements throughout the programmes. I am interested to know whether BBC Scotland is planning to do that, because we have a slightly different environment here.

Does that apply to BBC Alba as well?

I have a question about budgets. Rhodri Talfan Davies mentioned that the overall budget for the BBC is at a standstill, although you have the advantage that you know how much money you will have in the coming years. However, funding for things such as Radio nan Gàidheal, BBC Alba and the BBC Scottish symphony orchestra appears to remain at the same level with no inflationary rises. I am interested to know how that might impact on output. For example, can the orchestra continue to travel?