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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 4 May 2021
  6. Current session: 13 May 2021 to 8 April 2026
  7. Session 6: 13 May 2021 to 8 April 2026
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Displaying 923 contributions

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Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

The Bungalow is quite interesting as it is a community investment company, not a for-profit organisation, so it ticks all the boxes with regard to the Government’s idea of investing in the future of culture.

I will move on to a different issue. One idea, which just about everyone who gave us evidence brought up, is for the Government to create a cross-portfolio fund, which would encourage organisations to look at things in a cross-portfolio way, too. The Scottish Library and Information Council gave a name to it: a culture and wellbeing fund. However, it could be broader than that. What are your thoughts on creating something along those lines?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

Okay, then. I will skip my question about the visitor levy.

Screen Scotland, which is part of Creative Scotland, is a shining beacon of what a successful organisation looks like. The fact that it is being allocated an extra £2 million points to its success.

Earlier, I asked Iain Munro about the organisation and he spoke about how important it is as part of the work that Creative Scotland is doing. It showcases Scottish talent and ability, and there is also the sheer involvement element, which is important for tourism. I have already used the example of walking down the Royal Mile and seeing Americans looking for “Outlander” locations. There is growth in that for us. How do you see us moving forward in that regard? Obviously, we are investing in that, but we can generate some income from it, too.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

Alastair, you have just hit on my next question. Screen Scotland, which is one of your major successes, has created that sort of footfall; you only need walk up the Royal Mile to see American tourists wandering about various places shown in scenes from “Outlander”. Indeed, we members see them when we go back to our digs at night.

You have received an extra £2 million on top of your £2.5 million base budget for that, but I note, too, a 110 per cent increase in inward investment in film in Scotland. That seems quite incredible. I know that there is “Outlander”, and there are other examples such as “Batgirl”—Warner Brothers did decide to scrap it but, hey, Glasgow still got some success from the film actually being made there—and “The Rig”.

I am quite interested in the fact that every £1 invested in film effectively creates £12-worth of economic activity. Surely that is a perfect example of what we are talking about. Do we not need to support such activity and ensure that we create and develop that kind of screen tourism? After all, we seem to be punching well above our weight here in Scotland in that respect.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

Thank you.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

It is all culture.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

I have two questions, which I will ask very quickly.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

Sorry about that. Good morning, everyone.

Iain, you said that, of the 28 organisations that were unsuccessful in getting multiyear funding, 13 are on a development stream to try, I assume, to build up future applications and so on. I am interested in hearing more about that. I am also interested in your comment that multiyear funding is not the only part of the process and in hearing more about the support that you give organisations to secure external funding.

Let me give you some examples, although you are probably aware of them already. When a witness from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra came before the committee, they talked about the idea of an endowment. When I said that that was a great plan and asked them to talk about such new ideas, they said, “Well, we have not worked it out yet.” What kind of support can you provide to develop other ideas that might be out there in the sector and help organisations secure some form of external funding?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 25 September 2025

George Adam

That sounds fantastic. It is great to hear that that support is available for them to tap into and that they are able to look at other forms of finance, too, because it is frustrating for us when we get organisations coming here every year and telling us the same thing. It is good to know that there are other things out there.

I am also interested in hearing about the visitor levy. We know that, in its pilot, Edinburgh is looking at allocating 25 per cent of projected revenue from the levy to the culture sector. The issue has been brought up by many of the individuals who have given evidence; I know that it is up to each individual local authority to make that decision, but how do you, as Scotland’s cultural organisation, make that case to those authorities? After all, I know that you work with them at a local level. Do you say, for example, “There’s the Barcelona model” or “There’s the Amsterdam approach”? How do you make that pitch to local authorities and make it clear that such an approach could really help with their programmes to develop their local areas?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 September 2025

George Adam

That brings me to some of Kate Sanger’s evidence. Suzi Martin already knows about this because I have cried on her shoulder about it with regard to my two autistic grandchildren. You brought up how you deal with it on a one-to-one basis with the teachers. It is about basic humanity. I have seen my daughter in these situations, where the two children are absolutely screaming the place down and she just talks to them quietly and deals with it. Surely, in reality teachers also do that because, as you say, it is the human thing to do.

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 September 2025

George Adam

Does anyone else have anything to add?