Chamber and committees

Welcome back to the committee again, cabinet secretary. We lost you briefly. Do you want to continue with your answer to Mr Ruskell’s question?

I have a quick final question, cabinet secretary. The committee undertook significant work on the original REUL bill, and one of our major concerns was about its impact on other organisations, such as animal welfare organisations, that are trying to navigate their way through it. We were also concerned about Scottish Parliament subject committees, which will also be interested in what is happening and want to engage with the process. Although I note that you said that the removal of the sunset clause is a move in the right direction, do the timescales and the approach alleviate any of the pressures on business and third sector organisations, and do they affect the ability of the Scottish Parliament to engage in the scrutiny process?

I thank the cabinet secretary and his officials for attending. We now move into private session.

Mr Macfarlane? I beg your pardon—I mean Mr McLaren.

Mr McLaren, do you want to come in on that point?

To drill down into that a little, when you talk about raising awareness, do you mean among local government elected members, local government officers or communities in general, and the people who might be feeding into LPPs to develop them?

Thank you. We move to questions from committee members. I will start with Mr Cameron, who joins us online and who, unfortunately, has to leave the committee fairly early.

I have a supplementary question on community asset transfers. I am struggling to think of an example in my community—I represent the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency. Is there a demographic issue? Is there a geographical issue? Why do some local authorities embrace the idea more than others? Are there examples of good practice in engaging with communities?

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to the 16th meeting in 2023 of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Are members content to consider a draft of the committee’s annual report in private at future meetings?

Members indicated agreement.

Agenda item 2 is evidence taking for our culture in communities inquiry, which is focused on taking a place-based approach to culture. This morning, we are joined by Craig McLaren, director of Scotland, Ireland and English regions, Royal Town Planning Institute; Johanna Boyd, chief executive, Planning Aid for Scotland; and Ailsa Macfarlane, director, Built Environment Forum Scotland. I welcome you all to the meeting. I should also say that we have received apologies from Euan Leitch, the chief executive of SURF—Scotland’s Regeneration Forum.

We will move straight to questions, and I will open by asking about the extent to which culture and heritage are prioritised in planning across Scotland. How can they be more embedded in the planning process? Perhaps we can start with Ms Macfarlane.