Good morning. The first item of business is general question time.
Proposed Ticket Levy
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with the Music Venue Trust regarding the introduction of a ticket levy, on a voluntary or statutory basis, for stadium and arena shows, to support grass-roots culture venues. (S6O-03773)
The Scottish Government fully values both the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture and the role that venues play in the talent pipeline. I met the Music Venue Trust in May to discuss the difficulties that the industry faces at grass-roots level and the proposal for a ticket levy to alleviate those and to help build a sustainable live music ecosystem. The Scottish Government is keen to continue to engage with the industry to support sector-led initiatives.
I am pleased that the cabinet secretary has met the Music Venue Trust. However, I am not quite clear whether he has expressed a view on the basic policy yet.
This summer, as the cabinet secretary will know, there have been huge stadium performances in Scotland by the likes of Taylor Swift, Foo Fighters and Pink. The Music Venue Trust has shown that the introduction of a levy, which has already been done in countries such as France, could raise well over £1 million a year to support the sector during a very difficult time.
I am sure that the cabinet secretary is well aware of the cultural importance of independent venues, which are not necessarily charitable—
Can we have a question, please, Mr Harvie?
Some are commercial, some are funded and some are not. A levy would be a really powerful measure to support venues that are integral to the culture of our towns and cities.
I agree with Patrick Harvie about the importance of agreeing to support venues. I raised that issue with my culture secretary opposite number in the previous United Kingdom Government, and I will raise it with Lisa Nandy of the new UK Government.
Patrick Harvie will appreciate that the proposal involves significant reserved powers. I am keen to better understand its deliverability, which is part of a dialogue that I look forward to continuing to have with the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Despite the financial implications of the new Labour Government’s financial decisions, it is welcome that the Scottish National Party Government is still increasing funding to the culture sector by almost £16 million this financial year to a total of £196.6 million. Will the cabinet secretary outline how that funding and the money that is being sent out by Creative Scotland ensure support for culture venues throughout Scotland?
The additional £15.8 million in culture funding this financial year is the first stage in our commitment to £100 million more per year for culture funding by 2028-29. The additional funding this financial year includes £13.2 million for Creative Scotland, which is being used to support its network of regularly funded organisations, including the Scottish Music Industry Association, as well as providing additional funding towards the Creative Scotland open fund for individuals and additional support to Screen Scotland.
Fairer Futures Partnerships (Child Poverty)
To ask the Scottish Government how its investment in fairer futures partnerships will help to tackle child poverty. (S6O-03774)
Through our investment in expanding our fairer futures partnerships, we will work with local authorities to help families get the support that matters to them, focusing on family wellbeing, income maximisation and support for education and sustained employment. It includes a range of services working together across childcare, education, health and social care, housing and employment, the third sector and beyond. The work will develop practical examples and tools to support more effective service delivery that can be used to tackle child poverty across Scotland.
Before I go on to my supplementary question, with members’ indulgence, I would like to mention the passing of Councillor Kenny McLean, who was a councillor when I was the leader of Glasgow City Council. He was a hard worker for his constituents in his ward of Partick East. He was tireless in working for Glasgow, and he was a huge supporter of making Scotland a better place through independence. More importantly, he was a great man, and he will be sadly missed by his family and everybody who knew him. [Applause.]
With devolved finances tighter than ever as a result of the United Kingdom Government’s decision, how does the cabinet secretary anticipate that fairer futures partnerships will help to laser-focus Scotland’s constrained resources and public services on the mission to eradicate child poverty?
I associate myself with James Dornan’s remarks about Councillor McLean. He and I were parliamentary researchers in the first intake to Parliament in 1999, and I remember him fondly. His words of wisdom will be greatly missed by me and others.
Despite facing the most challenging financial circumstances since devolution, we are determined to drive forward the national mission to end child poverty. The investment in our fairer futures partnerships will provide a driver to enable local authorities to test and improve how they deliver services, and thus better support families. In that way, the practical examples and tools that are developed will be able to be shared much more widely than simply among the partnership organisations that take part. That is a very important part of our public service reform programme.
General Practitioner Appointments
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve access to general practitioner appointments. (S6O-03775)
Last November, the Scottish Government published the “General Practice Access Principles”. That report sets out a clear framework for the core principles of how GP services should be delivered—they should be delivered equitably, sensitively, reasonably and appropriately, making the most effective use of the resources and systems that are currently available.
We continue to work with all the relevant partners to effectively implement those principles, including through our commitment to the on-going recruitment of primary care multidisciplinary teams as well as 800 more GPs. Healthcare Improvement Scotland has already worked with more than 100 general practices to improve access arrangements.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, but the current situation remains a disgrace. The move to the increased use of same-day-only appointments, which are rationed at 8 am, simply does not work for the elderly, the disabled or people with young children.
The latest in the long line of complaints that I have had from constituents includes one from an elderly couple in Dumfries—they will probably give me a clip round the ear for saying that the next time I see them—who tried on four occasions to get a doctor’s appointment. On day 1, there was a permanent engaged tone at appointment time, so they were unable to speak to a human voice. On day 2, it was the same again—there was a permanent engaged tone. On day 3, having spent 10 minutes getting to the front of a queue, they got a human voice, but there were no doctors available. Only on the fourth day, when they decided to complain to the practice, did they get an appointment. Does the cabinet secretary think that that is acceptable?
What Oliver Mundell narrates is clearly not acceptable, and I believe that we should see access to GPs improving. We are seeing an increase in the demand on our primary care services, and GPs are under pressure as a result of managing more complex cases. However, it is the responsibility of individual practices to ensure that they have an appointments system that works not just for them, but—most importantly—for their patients. I would be keen to hear more about the case that Oliver Mundell brought up, so that the health board can look into whether the practice in question is fulfilling the terms of the GP contract.
The Scottish Government’s “General Practice Access Principles” states that GP practices should
“use digital resources ... where appropriate and when people choose, to meet people’s needs.”
Deaf people or those with anxiety may find it more difficult to book appointments over the phone, and services such as Near Me are not available everywhere. Does the Scottish Government have further plans to support GPs in adopting digital infrastructure where they are not able to provide such services?
I thank Foysol Choudhury for narrating the complex picture of how people choose to access their health services—in this case, primary care services. He is right to say that digital solutions are available for some people who are able to use them, but I am clear that that will not work for everybody, as he has set out. Therefore, we are supporting practices to be able to invest in not only the access requirements that I set out to Oliver Mundell, but digital services, where that is possible, and I would like more such support to be provided. We will continue to support boards in that work.
Ninewells Hospital (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns over its reported plans to downgrade the neonatal intensive care unit at Ninewells hospital. (S6O-03776)
Under the new model for neonatal care, which was announced in July 2023, neonatal intensive care will be provided in a smaller number of units with co-located specialist services. The model is based on evidence and clinical advice from neonatal experts, which shows that the most pre-term and sickest babies have a better chance of survival when they are cared for in high-volume specialist neonatal units.
Those specialist intensive care units will be at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital, Edinburgh royal infirmary and Aberdeen maternity hospital. Local neonatal units will continue delivering care, including a level of intensive care, to babies who need that and the changes will affect only a small number of the smallest and sickest babies.
The report made little, if any, mention of the potential impact on the mental wellbeing of families forced to travel far from home during an already harrowing time. That is unacceptable, so does the minister agree that there should be a fuller assessment before any action is taken?
I absolutely recognise how traumatic such circumstances must be for new parents. This model of neonatal care is supported by a range of stakeholders and clinicians. We have consulted through Bliss and with a wider cohort of families. The work is on-going and is now being led by regional clinical leads, who are looking at implementation. Mental health support for families is very much at the centre of the work.
This issue affects not only my constituents who use Ninewells hospital in Dundee but those using Victoria hospital in Kirkcaldy. I would want to be able to access the best care for my family, but my concern is that ever-greater specialism leads to ever-greater centralisation, which leads to deskilling in regional facilities. How will the minister make a judgement about when specialism and centralisation have gone far enough? We must maintain skills in regional centres so that everyone can get access to the best care at their local facility.
That is exactly what drives our decision making, which was led by experts in the neonatal sphere of health services and builds on international evidence. It is incredibly important to ensure the safety and health of the smallest and sickest babies. That has been absolutely central to all the work and to all the evidence that has been pulled together.
Holyrood Park
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently published Holyrood park strategic plan, what the timeline is for Historic Environment Scotland to complete its movement strategy and deliver on its 10 objectives for the park. (S6O-03777)
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters for Historic Environment Scotland, including queries relating to the management of Holyrood park, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland, so I will ask HES to write to the member with a full reply to her question.
Holyrood park’s legislation is decades out of date and does not align with council or Government climate targets or with the City of Edinburgh Council mobility plan. Will the cabinet secretary look at updating the park’s legislation and consider reducing or restricting private car use in Holyrood Park in order to ensure that the park is net zero by 2030, as the new strategic plan sets out?
Yesterday, I met the new chief executive of Historic Environment Scotland, Katerina Brown, and I am pleased to say that we have a shared ambition for Historic Environment Scotland. I am sure that she and her colleagues have been listening closely to what Lorna Slater has asked. Given her supplementary question, I will raise those issues with officials and will revert to her in writing.
Question 6 has been withdrawn.
LGBT Youth Scotland (Safeguarding)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its relationship with LGBT Youth Scotland, in light of reported allegations regarding safeguarding failings. (S6O-03779)
I, too, would like to mark the passing of Councillor McLean, who was a councillor in my Glasgow Kelvin constituency and a friend.
The Scottish Government has engaged with LGBT Youth Scotland to determine the facts around the recent media reports and we have determined that no further action is needed at this stage. I refer the member to LGBT Youth Scotland’s recent statement, which reinforces how it has strengthened its safeguarding policies over the past five years to ensure that they are in line with legislation and meet national standards. The organisation continues to review its safeguarding polices annually to ensure that they are as comprehensive as possible.
Children in Need, which awarded LGBT Youth Scotland £181,000 over the past five years, has decided to withdraw its funding. The BBC said that its charity has immediately suspended the grant after conducting a thorough review in response to concerns that have been raised by the BBC and others. That comes after the Daily Mail published a damning investigation of LGBT Youth Scotland, whose former chief executive James Rennie was jailed for horrific child sex assaults after he was unmasked as a member of one of Britain’s worst-ever paedophile rings.
I have raised concerns in the chamber about LGBT Youth Scotland and the guidance that it provides to children and young people regarding safeguarding, yet another scandal has now emerged. Convicted paedophile Andrew Easton co-authored guidance with LGBT Youth Scotland on coming out as transgender for children as young as 13. If there is no further case to be answered, why have those safeguarding failings occurred in the first place? Why has Children in Need removed its funding? Why has the Scottish Government not agreed to conduct, at the very least, a review of LGBT Youth Scotland regarding what has happened in recent times?
The member has raised several points that I am not able to answer in such a short time. However, I would be happy to put further comments in writing.
We are committed to advancing equality and supporting LGBTQI+ young people, including through funding of LGBT Youth Scotland. That is particularly important at a time when we are seeing a rise in attacks against the LGBTQI+ community.
I point out that LGBT Youth Scotland is not under any criminal investigation. Recent media reports related to a convicted individual who was a young person when he attended the charity in 2009 but was not a volunteer or a paid employee.
It is so important that children and young people have somewhere that they can go where they can expect care, safety and advice, even if, sadly, that is not at home. What is the Scottish Government doing to support LGBTQ young people and ensure that they grow up feeling supported?
I thank Emma Roddick for the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to doing everything that we can to ensure that Scotland is the best place to grow up for LGBTQI+ young people. As I said, that is particularly important as we are seeing a rise in attacks against that community.
We are providing £290,870-worth of funding to LGBT Youth Scotland for 2024-25, through our equality and human rights fund, to deliver a range of projects to support LGBTQI+ young people. We have also made significant progress in embedding LGBTQI+ inclusive education across the curriculum, rather than in specific LGBTQI+ lessons, to improve the learning environment for all children and young people.
National Review of Eating Disorder Services
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations from the national review of eating disorder services. (S6O-03780)
The Scottish Government is committed to implementing the recommendations of the national review of eating disorder services. We have established the national eating disorder network, which is supporting us to deliver on the review’s medium and long-term recommendations. Additionally, we have established an eating disorder lived experience panel to support the work of the network. The national specification for care and treatment of eating disorders in Scotland, which outlines the national standards of service that anyone who is impacted by eating disorders can expect from services, will be published this year.
Will the minister outline what action the national eating disorder network is taking to improve training, national-level service development, the setting of quality standards and the co-ordination of research and innovation networks for eating disorders?
The national eating disorder network is working with NHS Education for Scotland to ensure the accessibility of training for all and to raise awareness of the available training. The network has scheduled regional meetings for clinicians to discuss challenges, share successes, highlight improvement activity and explore opportunities to work regionally to improve consistency of access. A series of webinars to be offered by the network will focus on research and innovation in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom and offer insights into practical implementation. The network will also consider how to tackle gaps in research, and it will work closely with boards to support the implementation of the national specification.