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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 27 December 2024
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Displaying 1694 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

I am sorry, but I have a final question that I suppose goes back to Lorna Slater’s question about the fair work agenda. Traditionally, tourism is seen as a sector that has more casual employment than other sectors, that is perhaps not as secure as others and which does not have salaries that are as good as the salaries in others, although somebody mentioned how competition has perhaps driven salaries up, to some extent. Housing has been mentioned, too. What are the barriers? The issue is not just investment in the tourism sector. How important is it for the Government to recognise the other barriers and what is holding tourism back?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

I come to Highlands and Islands Enterprise next.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

Murdo Fraser and Colin Smyth have some questions.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

I call Kevin Stewart, to be followed by Gordon MacDonald.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

I call Gordon MacDonald, to be followed by Willie Coffey.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

Before I bring in Lorna Slater, I have a question on VisitScotland’s digital reach. How is the budget spent with regard to paid advertising and promotions? We need to get that kind of reach. It is not simply about people deciding to follow or look at VisitScotland’s content, but about how it is promoted to people. That can be a very expensive part of the process, so I wonder what percentage of the budget goes towards it. You talked about closing the visitor information centres, which might free up some revenue for other spend, and there is a difficult settlement from the Scottish Government. How do you manage that part of the budget? Is it increasing, or is it having to be curtailed?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

Does VisitScotland, as an organisation, have the capacity to understand that specific area of work and what the smart ways to spend money are? Do you understand where the audience is, and how to undertake the data analysis around that? Do you do that work as an organisation, or do you employ or contract someone else to do it?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

Thank you for that. I call Lorna Slater, to be followed by Michelle Thomson.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

All three of your organisations are involved in delivering the national strategy for economic transformation. We are expecting a refresh of that strategy. How relevant do you feel the strategy is to your organisations? What are you looking for from the refresh?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 11 September 2024

Claire Baker

We are carrying out budget scrutiny today, and the economy portfolio’s budgets are pretty small—your organisations’ budgets are pretty small—in the context of the whole Scottish budget. Are those budgets appropriate, given the level of economic investment? You have talked about partnering with other agencies, so it might be that it is an area of great importance that, all the same, does not need a significant level of investment. Do you feel that, if we are serious about growing the economy, NSET should give an opportunity to prioritise this area and ensure that it gets more Government focus and, possibly, more resources?