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Item 2 is pre-budget scrutiny of culture sector funding. As part of its pre-budget scrutiny, the committee has been looking at the continuing impact of Covid-19 on the culture sector and its longer-term future. Today, the committee will hear from the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture on the evidence that we have heard over the past month. The cabinet secretary will be joined by David Seers, head of sponsorship and funding, and Bettina Sizeland, deputy director for tourism and major events at the Scottish Government. We hope that the officials will join us at some point this morning.

I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.

Thank you, cabinet secretary. The programme for government’s three-year funding commitment for core-funded organisations, which you mentioned in your opening remarks, has come through as a theme in all the work that we have done, including our discussion with community organisations. Will you say a little more about your vision in that respect? What difference will it make, and how will it impact on community-based organisations?

I want to make sure that I did not misrepresent the evidence that we took. The point that was made was not so much about different Government funding streams; it was about funding from other funders such as the Big Lottery Fund, the Robertson Trust and other bodies of that nature.

Thank you. I will bring in Dr Allan.

Welcome to the seventh meeting of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. Members might wish to note that Mr Golden is attending the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee this morning and will join us a little later.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Are members content to take item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

That concludes members’ questions, and I thank the cabinet secretary, Mr Seers and Ms Sizeland for their attendance this morning.

I have another supplementary question. El Sistema is well known, but in my area there is a local organisation that has been working with young people for more than 22 years and that receives the bulk of its funding from the youth music initiative. In the previous session of Parliament, I was the convener of the Education and Skills Committee, which carried out an inquiry into music tuition in schools. We now have a link-up between culture and education. If we are offering more opportunities for young people to do music at school, will there be a review of how the youth music initiative can support schools and third sector organisations that might pick up some of that work outside school times?

Thank you. We will move on to questions from committee members.

Agenda item 2 is a decision on taking business in private. Do members agree that our consideration of evidence should be taken in private at item 5 and at future meetings?

Members indicated agreement.

I think that there is an issue. Maybe we could switch Mr Hegarty’s screen off and just have the audio to see if that would be any better. Can you hear us, Mr Hegarty? I think that we will have to try to get Mr Hegarty onboarded again.

Donald Cameron has some supplementary questions.