Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Questions Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business Tess White S6O-04057 1. To ask the Scottish Government when it expects its preparatory work to conclude and the review into Creative Scotland, which was announced in September 2024, to get underway. Patrick Harvie S6O-04058 2. To ask the Scottish Government how the planned review of Creative Scotland will improve compliance with fair work principles in the culture sector. Clare Adamson S6O-04059 3. To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the UK Government's decision to raise employer national insurance contributions will have on organisations in the culture sector that are in receipt of Scottish Government funding. Mark Griffin S6O-04060 4. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with the finance secretary regarding whether it will deliver its commitment to provide an additional £25 million to the culture sector in 2025-26. Ariane Burgess S6O-04061 5. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent reaffirmation of its commitment to increase culture funding by at least an additional £100 million a year by 2028-29, how much of this extra investment will be directed towards community arts and placemaking. Alex Rowley S6O-04062 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it can do to support access to library services in rural areas. Annabelle Ewing S6O-04063 7. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of Brand Scotland. Michael Marra 8. [Not Lodged] Justice and Home Affairs David Torrance S6O-04065 1. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it being the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to tackle violence against women and girls. Elena Whitham S6O-04066 2. To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of how successful the Bella Centre in Dundee and Lilias Centre in Glasgow have been in acknowledging the experience of trauma and adversity and supporting successful transitions for women back into the community. Gordon MacDonald S6O-04067 3. To ask the Scottish Government how much money recovered from the proceeds of crime has been committed to the CashBack for Communities programme since 2008. Annie Wells S6O-04068 4. To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in advance of the winter months. Carol Mochan S6O-04069 5. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent reports that many towns in Scotland are so-called legal aid deserts. Alexander Stewart S6O-04070 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working to clear the criminal court backlog. Sue Webber S6O-04071 7. To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with Police Scotland to increase law enforcement resources in Scotland’s cities. Clare Haughey S6O-04072 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Lanarkshire Council regarding potential firework control zones in the local authority area. followed by Ministerial Statement: Scottish Budget 2025-26 followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-15571 Emma Harper: The Open University Supports the Scots Language Some of this debate may take place in Scots. To assist your understanding you can find translations for Scots words here: dsl.ac.uk Emma Harper S6M-15571 That the Parliament recognises that the Open University (OU) in Scotland, in conjunction with Education Scotland, has produced the first of its kind professional learning course for teachers on the Scots language; welcomes the partnership working between both organisations; understands that over 200 teachers have signed up to the course since January 2024 using Scottish Government-funded places; further understands that the course creates a Scotland-wide community of practice where teachers realise the transformative role of embedding Scots language and culture in the classroom; recognises what it sees as the educational, as well as equality, diversity and inclusion, benefits of embedding Scots in the classroom; believes that, with teachers participating from across 12 different secondary subject areas and all primary curricular areas, this demonstrates the strong interdisciplinary potential of teaching Scots; wishes all of the participants every success with their studies; applauds the OU’s first research study into the needs and experiences of adult learners of the language, often New Scots, and notes its work in developing Scots and Gaelic language community education for refugees and migrants in the South Scotland region and across the country, as well as the OU’s pioneering collaboration with NHS Education Scotland aimed at embedding the Scots language in health and social care to enhance staff and service users’ experiences. The Member has provided the following translation in Scots: Thit the Pairlament recognises thit the Open University (OU) in Scotland in conjunction wi Education Scotland ir produced the first o its kind professional lairnin coorse fir teachers on the Scots Leid; welcomes the pairtnership wirkin atween baith organisations; unnerstauns thit fae January 2024 owre twa hunner teachers hiv signed up tae the coorse, utilisin Scottish Government funded places; further unnerstauns thit the coorse creates a Scotland-wide community o practice whaur teachers realise the transformative role o embeddin Scots language an culture in the cless; further recognises the educational as weel as equality, diversity an inclusion benefits o embeddin Scots leid in the cless; believes thit wi teachers participatin across twal different secondary subject areas an aw primary curricular areas it shaas the strang interdisciplinary potential o teachin Scots an wishes aw participants ivry success wi thir studies; mairowre, applauds the OU’s first iver research study intae needs an experiences o adult lairners o Scots – aften New Scots; thir wark developin Scots an Gaelic leids language community education fir refugees an migrants, as weel as the OU’s pioneerin collaboration wi NHS Education Scotland aimed at embeddin the Scots leid in health an social care tae enhance staff an service users’ experiences. followed by Members' Business — S6M-14602 Michael Matheson: Powering Futures - Putting Young People at the Heart of the Energy Transition Michael Matheson S6M-14602 That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the important work of Powering Futures, which, it understands, has put young people at the heart of the energy transition, giving them the knowledge, skills and experience of real-life scenarios so that they are equipped to respond to the energy transition; notes that Powering Futures connects business and education to empower young people across Scotland, including in the Falkirk West constituency, to respond to the challenges of an energy transition; understands that, since Powering Futures launched in 2020, it has engaged with over 3,000 young people across Scotland and 150 businesses; notes that 45 schools across Scotland are currently participating in Powering Future's education programme, with a further 100 schools registered to participate in 2024, and believes that Powering Futures is doing important work to connect different sectors with schools and young people through the SCQF Level 6 accredited programme, which results in young people gaining a SCQF Level 6 qualification.