The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 448 contributions
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
As a supplementary to the culture cabinet secretary, we have heard this morning about a financial squeeze in the culture and leisure sector, with costs going up and funding getting reduced. That could have an impact on the development of additional services in the health context, but I am also thinking of other cross-departmental Government working with regard to achieving net zero. Given the impact of the cultural sector in that respect—and particularly when we think of, say, museums—what support could the Scottish Government give in assessing the cost of retrofitting and improving energy efficiency in the sector, which from the evidence that we have received no one seems to have looked at yet?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
I will move on to Kirsty Cumming. In a similar vein—you touched on this in your earlier answer—could you say how, specifically within the culture and leisure estate, the net zero requirement for buildings will drive up costs on top of the costs that you may see increasing anyway at the moment? I am keen to hear your views on that.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
Thanks for that, Kirsty.
I will move on to Duncan Dornan next. What are your thoughts about inflationary pressures and increases in costs? Has there been any assessment of those? The costs of retrofitting could run into millions of pounds, particularly for museums and collections, if you keep similar building infrastructure.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
I will start with the health secretary. Clearly the health portfolio contains lots of metrics and targets. How can NHS boards all the way down to GP practices better report activities within the context of culture?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
I will start my questioning with Carol Calder. In your answers to Sarah Boyack, you were quite clear about the funding side of things and the picture there, but have you assessed the costs aspect and the inflationary pressures on energy, wages and building infrastructure and how they could potentially squeeze service delivery?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
You mentioned ring fencing. At least part of that—even within the leisure and culture space—is around the requirement for retrofitting, becoming more energy efficient and meeting our net zero targets. In that space, which clearly will drive up costs albeit for the right reasons, are there any plans to look at how that might impact leisure and cultural services?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Maurice Golden
Thanks for that, Duncan. That is very helpful.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 3 March 2022
Maurice Golden
That was very interesting. The situation is similar with sustainable procurement, too. Thank you for your contribution.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 3 March 2022
Maurice Golden
Welcome, Sarah. You just talked about multiyear funding settlements. A number of cultural and creative organisations have seen a freeze in funding levels over the past few years, with a real-terms reduction in funding as a result of inflationary pressures and the adoption of fair work practices. What are members telling you about those inflationary pressures? How would you like them to be mitigated through funding agreements?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 3 March 2022
Maurice Golden
One recommendation that you highlight in your submission—you alluded to this earlier—is around commissioning and procurement as a potential market for cultural and creative organisations. I imagine that the cultural and creative sectors are not necessarily as aligned as other sectors in providing goods and services.
In your submission, you give the Glasgow Connected Arts Network as an example of where such procurement support can work well. What more can the Scottish Government and other public bodies do to create potential markets for cultural and creative organisations?