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Could any Scottish Government policy enable the strengthening of that organising?

The Scottish Government’s recent retail strategy highlighted the example of Scotmid and USDAW working together. What did that involve and how can we ensure that other retailers, pub chains and food and drink providers can follow that example?

We recently took evidence from Professor Leigh Sparks, who said:

“We have spent at least 50 years damaging our town centres.”—[Official Report, 30 March 2022; c 3.]

Do the witnesses agree with that? More important, how do you think that damage can be reversed? I appreciate that you have touched on some of those ideas already, but do you have any other ideas on how we could reverse that damage? Do you agree with Professor Sparks’s commentary about what we have done over the past 50 years?

I will ask Martin Newman to start the discussion.

I think that another member will ask about business rates soon. I know that you will have strong views on that.

I want to bring in Maxine Smedley. Please feel free to comment on what Leigh Sparks said, Maxine, but I also want to ask about your comment on the need for action to stimulate consumers coming back to the high street. What type of action would you like?

We are told that the strength of the future high street will come from small independent shops. How successful are unions at organising in those shops, which do not have big head offices to contact or multiple branches across the country?

That is very helpful.

I put the question to Mark Darragh: what policy initiative or initiatives would you like from the Scottish Government to support your BID members in Linlithgow?

That is helpful. I put the same question to Roddy MacDonald. What are Industrial Communities Alliance Scotland members saying that they believe the policy initiatives from the Scottish Government should be to help regenerate the town centres that they cover?

I am keen to continue Michelle Thomson’s line of questioning on devolved policy levers. Jennifer, if you were in front of the Scottish Government, which one policy would you say it should pursue in order to break down the barriers to which you referred?

Danny Cepok said that a lot of things are happening in Kirkcaldy. What can the Government do to support that work?

Is there anything in particular that your members would like to see in NPF4 that would really kick-start the regeneration of our town centres? Some of the evidence that the committee has taken suggests that, although the framework is well meaning, some of the specifics might be missing. Do you agree with that? Is there anything specific that you would like to see in NPF4 that would really help our town centres?