Chamber and committees

I was struck by a what Liam Fowley said about how to get a public voice into public services. We are rolling out free bus travel for the under-22s, but young people still have concerns about safety and the quality of services. Is the deliberative democratic process valuable in bringing people’s voices into how public services are managed? If so, what does that process look like? Is it an assembly? Does it look like a citizens jury? I am interested in your perspective. That seems to have been a successful process and I am delighted that it has produced a substantial report with much for Government to consider. How do we more deeply embed that deliberative democracy as we tackle the climate emergency and reform public services?

I will ask you about something specific on how we change the places where we live. There has been a big discussion during the Covid crisis about changing road space: perhaps losing some car-parking spaces, extending footpaths and changing the urban environment. Did that come up during your conversations? What was the thinking about the need for that change? Was it supported, or was that issue ducked in the conversations?

Good morning. How do we build towards a successful launch on 31 January? Up until now, the message has been not to use public transport during the pandemic. Through the introduction of the amended concessionary travel scheme, there will be a relaunch of bus travel in Scotland. How are you preparing for that and for getting the message out there that, on 31 January, buses will be open for business, with young people able to travel for free and to enjoy the opportunities that that will bring?

I ask Iain Gullane the same question on remit. You provide key advice for Government and local authorities. I welcome your work over a long period of time on incineration and getting to grips with the environmental impact of that. That remit will remain, but how will the work of Zero Waste Scotland develop over time, particularly in the context of the forthcoming circular economy bill?

Great—thank you for that. I turn to what Iain Munro said earlier about the big challenges that we face as a society and how those are reflected in Creative Scotland’s objectives, because I am curious as to why your annual plan does not mention the word “regeneration” anywhere. You talked earlier about the pandemic and climate change. One of the consequences of the pandemic is that our high streets and towns are dying, because there are lots of empty spaces, but some creative groups are coming in to repurpose our high streets and draw more people back into our places. Where does what we traditionally call regeneration sit within your plan? How many of the projects that you fund each year are about urban, community-based regeneration?

As part of that renewal, do you see the creative sector leading that public participation? Previously, councils or particular agencies might have tried to lead that process. How much involvement do you see the creative sector having? You said that there has been £6 million for one fund. Is that funding particularly for high street regeneration work? Does it involve participatory conversations with communities to regenerate areas?

I will start with a question for Isabel Davis. You might have noticed that the recent co-operation agreement between the Green MSPs and the Scottish Government commits to

“additional resources to Screen Scotland for the purpose of facilitating year-round engagement between the Scottish and international film & television industries, with a particular emphasis on the USA.”

What is your reaction to that? What should the priorities be to ensure not only that the best of Scottish talent is working internationally but that we start to bring some productions into Scotland, too?

I have a brief supplementary question for Alison Reeves. How does what you were talking about materialise when it comes to funding and discussions with, for example, health and social care partnerships? Are music projects going to the national health service locally to have a discussion about social prescribing, and getting funding to do that kind of work, or is it just a useful add-on? Is it that the NHS and general practitioners might be aware that voluntary projects are happening locally but there is no direct funding?

I refer to Lucy Casot’s points about managing assets over time, particularly in relation to future proofing, reducing energy costs, investing in buildings, and making them climate resilient. I used to sit on the trustee board of the Stirling Smith art gallery. We were going through a period of expansion and were changing the business model a bit. It was challenging to get advice, support and bespoke funding. What does that landscape look like? Is bespoke funding available now for museums, galleries and other organisations to invest in those changes, or are you looking to build that into your mainstream funding if you are going to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, say, to fund that sort of work?

Does HIE have a perspective? There has been discussion about, for example, a marine coastal national park. Is that on your radar?