Education, Culture and Sport Committee,

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 7, 2002

Official Report 279KB pdf

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Petitions

The next item is consideration of two public petitions. The first is petition PE442 from Mr Howard Campbell and Sir Sean Connery. The second, PE468, is from the Scottish Trades Union Congress women's committee. We felt it appropriate to consider that petition today, given its relevance to the main item under examination this afternoon.

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Film Industry (PE442)

The first petition is the one from Mr Howard Campbell and Sir Sean Connery. The petitioners call on the Parliament to facilitate the setting up of a film industry in Scotland. The Public Petitions Committee has written to the Scottish Executive for further information, and the Executive's response has been circulated.

We received a report on issues in the Scottish film industry from Mike Russell in early January 2001, and we agreed to factor into our work programme an inquiry into education and training in the media industry. I invite the committee either to agree that no further action be taken in relation to the petition, on the basis that initiatives to develop the film industry are being taken, or to agree to consider whether to undertake further work in this area at the committee's away day in August.

In January 2001, the committee decided to consider the issues further. The pressure of business did not allow us to do that. I would be happy if we dealt with the petition at our away day in August and considered what action we might take in the coming year to inquire into aspects of the film industry. Not only is the petition well vouched for and well founded, it has distinguished support, and I do not think that we should ignore that. We should consider the petition at our August away day and I hope that we will look into film issues in the final year before the election.

I am disappointed that the distinguished support did not join the committee to launch the petition.

He might yet do.

I agree with Mike Russell. Important work must be done in respect of the film industry. I remember raising the issue of training and preparing young people for the film industry in Scotland. We wanted to consider training for the film industry in more detail as a result of Mike Russell's report. It would make sense to consider the issue at the away day in the autumn.

The committee broadly approves that proposal. Do members agree that we should deal with the issue at the committee's away day?

Members indicated agreement.

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School Meals (PE468)

The next agenda item is petition PE468, on behalf of the women's committee of the Scottish Trades Union Congress. The petition relates to the general principles of the School Meals (Scotland) Bill. Are members agreed that we should consider the petition as part of our consideration of the bill at stage 1?

Members indicated agreement.