Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 06 Mar 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 6, 2001

Official Report 182KB pdf

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Culture and Recreation Bill

Item 1 on the agenda concerns consideration of the Culture and Education Bill, which is a UK bill and will be dealt with by means of a Sewel motion.

I thank the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture, Sam Galbraith, for attending and ask him to make an opening comment.

When the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced the outcome of his spending review, he mentioned "A New Cultural Framework" which was published in 1998. As a consequence of that, the Culture and Recreation Bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 14 December and its second reading was on 18 January.

The bill contains a wide range of measures in relation to bodies that are sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, but only three of them are of interest to the Scottish Parliament and they are fairly minor. The details allow the existing arrangements to continue for the Film Council and for Resource, which is the council for museums, archives and libraries, and for the parks regulations.

I have already sent the committee a memorandum about the effects of the bill. All the areas are proposals that will simplify existing procedures. I see no reason for the Scottish Parliament to object to the bill and am happy to answer any questions.

In general terms, there is nothing difficult or offensive in the proposals and some of them are sensible, but I want the minister to respond to three points. The first concerns the Library and Information Commission and international library business. The minister will be aware that library institutions in Scotland have expressed considerable interest in an interchange with libraries in other countries and in international perspectives. I seek an assurance that the bill will not impinge on that and that there will continue to be involvement with other countries.

Paragraph 9 of the memorandum from Allan Wilson talks about the commission's functions in relation to Scotland continuing

"until such time as the Scottish Ministers may determine otherwise."

I would like to know what discussions there are on that matter.

Given the developing policy of the minister's department, does he expect any different forms of museums registration once the review is over?

The Library and Information Commission has never interfered with any of the information that we trade with international bodies, so that situation will not alter. It is important to remember that none of the arrangements will be altered by the bill.

Ministers are involved in discussions on the commission's functions, but they are not specific or of great note. All Governments and Executives always examine arrangements to determine whether they can be improved or changed in any way. Our discussions are no more than that.

There will be no change in the system of museum registration until we think it necessary and fit to do so.

Am I right in thinking that there are no objections to the proposed motion?

Members indicated agreement.