Chamber and committees

My question is again for either or both of the witnesses. You rightly mentioned that a public service broadcaster can do certain things—such as providing a variety of programmes—that, for example, Netflix cannot or does not do. How much pressure is the BBC feeling from the competition with platforms such as Netflix, and how does that apply to different age groups, particularly younger age groups? On a related point, how does Scotland compare with other parts of the UK for people in essence opting out of the BBC altogether?

Thank you.

I want to ask Mr Dallman a question about an issue that his and other organisations have raised in the past—namely, the impact on their members of the loss of freedom of movement around Europe. I imagine that, to some extent, the situation varies from one European country to the next, but I do not know. What is involved in artists in Scotland seeking to work in the EU now? Please give examples, if possible.

My next question is related to that. Are there funding streams from the European Union that you accessed in the past but that you think you will not be accessing once you get back to touring? I am thinking of things such as the Creative Europe funding stream. Is that a major consideration for you when you are planning ahead?

You mentioned some of the economic benefits of the dispersal of work. I am interested in the point that you made about the cultural benefit. For example, one of the long-running questions about broadcasting in Scotland is what can be done to commission more drama here. I seem to remember hearing a rumour when the new BBC Scotland channel was established that we were going to get a dramatisation of Sir Walter Scott’s “Waverley”—I live in hope of that.

What can you say about new writing and a focus on drama? Everyone looks back to programmes such as “Tutti Frutti” as great examples of new writing and drama. Does the BBC in Scotland have discretion to produce something like that?

I know that you are aware of the issue of crofting law. It does not feature in this year’s legislative programme. Is any planning being done on what future crofting reform legislation might look like, given that we have a body of work—the attractively named crofting law sump—on the changes that might be made? Will that be made use of and considered by the Government?

You will not be too surprised to hear that my questions are all islands related. First, can you tell us anything more about plans for inshore fisheries and how they might affect fishing effort within the 3-mile limit? Obviously, this is an issue of great interest on the west coast.

You mentioned designations and working with communities. An issue that has arisen in the past, at least in some parts of the country, has been the move towards more local management of marine designations. That has happened in some places but not in others. Is the Government seeking to make real the local management of designations wherever possible?

A consultation is under way on the Government’s policy on islands bonds. I am sure that the Government will be open to what comes from the consultation. What scope is there to refine the policy to ensure that it meets everyone’s needs?

I appreciate your point that Brexit is not the only factor in all the issues, but I have had businesses phoning up to tell me that Brexit is a very big factor—one did so just yesterday—and I am sure that other members have had the same experience.

You make a good point about training. You will appreciate that, in some parts of the country, we are getting to the point at which there is no workforce to train because there is nowhere for a workforce to live. What can you do in your role as islands minister to bring together different parts of Government to ensure that we address that question, particularly in parts of the country where the second-home and holiday-let market is having a huge impact on the availability of places to live for anyone?