Chamber and committees

I have some more general questions. At the beginning, you helpfully outlined the fact that, when one line in the Scottish Government budget goes up, another must fall. That is a basic fact of maths. All members hear lots of calls for increased funding for things such as the NHS and local government, all of which are legitimate. When was the last time that someone came to you and said, “Here is an idea for increasing the budget line for culture. Take it from here.”?

I have a teeny follow-up question for clarity, and then I will stop.

I have another question, which builds on Mark Ruskell’s question to Isabel Davis.

For as long as we have a stagnating economy, high inflation and a budget that is based on consequentials driven by austerity, things are going to be tight, and yet the screen sector has been such a significant contributor to economic growth in Scotland. I am looking at some of the figures: total spend is up by 55 per cent since 2019, and staffing is up by 39 per cent. In terms of economic drivers, screen is at the forefront.

In that vein, could you outline a few of the opportunities that you see in the coming year? The link there to budget is that if you grow, the budget will, indirectly, grow as well.

I wonder whether the various representatives can share some of that data with the committee. I also commend you for passing the numeracy test during maths week. [Laughter.]

Good morning. I want to ask a series of quick questions just to clarify some of the points that you have made.

First, you said that you allocate funding four times a year, with the next allocation in two weeks’ time. Were the organisations expecting that funding in full on the basis of the additional £6.6 million, or had they still to receive confirmation?

Thank you for all that you do to contribute to Scotland’s culture.

You might have heard my question in the previous evidence session highlighting the fact that our budget challenges arise from a stagnating economy, inflation and a budget that over the past 10 years has been shaped largely by austerity. Of course, we are very much focusing in this conversation on one side of the balance sheet—that is, your costs—but I want to read out some figures that jumped out at me in Creative Scotland’s submission. The gross value added of Scotland’s creative industries has increased by 62 per cent since 2010, while staffing has increased by only 9 per cent. That means that fewer people are contributing enormously to Scotland’s economy, which should be a cause for great celebration.

I have three questions, but because there are a lot of witnesses, I am just going to throw them all out at the same time and you can pick and choose which to respond to. First, do you feel that that enormous economic contribution is fully recognised in conversations about funding, whether it be public, private or third sector funding? Secondly, how has the balance of those different sources in the funding mix changed in your organisations? Lastly, what are the funding opportunities in the coming year for continuing that trajectory of contributing to Scotland’s economic prosperity, which, in turn, raises the revenue to reinvest?

I have one last question. I had a quick look at the correspondence from the finance secretary—I was not here at the time—allocating the additional £6.6 million. I believe that that was in March—you may correct me—which was close to the beginning of the financial year. Did that allow you to reinstate funding to organisations that would otherwise have received nothing, or was it a case of increasing the quantum that was available to all the organisations that you fund?

So, from the perspectives of those organisations, will there be no impact from that decision in the short term?

So it is a question of cash rather than the budget itself. In other words, it is the cash being allocated in two weeks’ time, not the budget being agreed.

I understand.

What impact will this have on reserves? I take your point that this is a one-off and that by their nature reserves should not be used for on-going resource payments, but what percentage or proportion of reserves does the £6.6 million form?