Official Report 255KB pdf
We will now move on to agenda item 2, which is an update on committee business. The Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Museums Council have been invited to give a brief presentation at the end of next Tuesday morning's meeting to update the committee on museums and galleries month 2000, which will officially start next Monday. I encourage committee members to get involved in their local museums and galleries and to help to promote them in their local communities.
As members will know, there is a crisis in a range of Scottish museums, especially the Scottish industrial museums. I know that there have been discussions and that work is being done behind the scenes—I am grateful for that—to try to ameliorate the crisis. Some museums may not make it through to the summer, let alone past the summer. I hope that the committee may return to that after we have completed stage 2 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill, to see if we could quickly, but as comprehensively as possible, look into the matter and try to assist. Scotland's heritage is at risk.
I can assure Mike Russell that I have also raised this matter. I know that he has lodged a motion on it. This matter is being considered at the moment and I am sure that this committee will return to it as soon as it can. Are members happy with that?
Yes.
Could we have an update on the budget scrutiny?
An official in the finance department is due to meet me to consider the issues. She has not arranged a date yet, but we will chase it up through the clerks.
Chase it up as soon as possible and report back next week.
I will update the committee on the film inquiry. I have been in touch with Gillian Baxendine—that will surprise members. I have suggested to Gillian a letter that can go to a range of organisations. She and I still have to finalise the list of organisations. I still intend to bring something back early in the autumn. A small amount of work has been done already, but it is sitting in Gillian's pile and she is already overloaded.
I welcome Mike's comments. Given the pace at which pronouncements seem to happen on the film industry, and as there is going to be a delay until we deal with the report, if any information comes to hand in his work as a member of the committee in the meantime, will it be provided to the clerks to circulate to keep members informed?
Yes.