2014: Scotland's Year of Sport
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-2506, in the name of Jack McConnell, on 2014: a year of sport for Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises that 2014 will be a significant year for Scottish sport; notes that, in addition to the annual sporting events taking place that year, Scotland will host the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles; acknowledges that each event will bring international athletes to this country and will focus worldwide attention on Scotland; welcomes the variety of sporting opportunities that 2014 will present to Scotland, and believes that 2014 should be designated "Scotland's Year of Sport" in order to highlight the benefits that sport and physical activity bring to the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.
I convey to members the apologies of Patricia Ferguson, who originally lodged the motion. She cannot be with us today, so I was happy to accept the offer to relodge and speak to the motion on a concept that she has promoted regularly and consistently for a year or two now. I hope that members will welcome it and discuss it constructively.
Patricia Ferguson was a key figure in bringing the 2014 Commonwealth games to Glasgow, in doing much of the initial groundwork to promote Scotland's and Glasgow's case and in putting together the documentation that justified Glasgow's selection. As a result of that work, she became committed to the idea that we could link the Commonwealth games and the Ryder cup, which will come to Gleneagles in 2014, with the other sporting events that year and use the focal point of 2014 to promote health, wellbeing, participation and excellence in sport up to, during and after the year.
What a summer of sport we have had this year: we have seen events in tennis and other sports, and the phenomenal performances of Scottish and British athletes in the Beijing Olympics. The Scots medallists in the Olympics have been congratulated in the Parliament before and I do not need to mention them again. Today, which is the last day of the Paralympics in Beijing, I congratulate Aileen McGlynn, who won two gold medals. As a blind cyclist, she has perhaps overcome greater challenges in the velodrome than Chris Hoy will ever have.
Aileen McGlynn and the other Scottish medallists represented Scotland and Great Britain in Beijing and won medals for their country and themselves, but I also congratulate the Paralympians whose participation in the Great Britain team is as significant as some of the headlines about sporting excellence in the Olympics and sporting championships the world over all year round. In particular, I mention Jonathan Paterson from my constituency, who trains with Glasgow Rangers Football Club. He captained the GB seven-a-side football team at the Paralympics. They were seventh, unfortunately, but they beat the hosts and will come back feeling proud of their achievements.
The Paralympians humble us all. We should congratulate them and look forward to their further achievements in years to come. [Applause.]
We should also wish well the Ryder cup team, who are representing Europe in America this week, and the Scottish team who will go to the Commonwealth youth games in the weeks ahead. In those games and in the contest in Kentucky this weekend, we will see yet again how much sport can galvanise the interest of the nation—even those who are unfit and unhealthy.
The summer's events in Beijing show how sporting excellence can provide us with role models who inspire youngsters to take to the tennis court, to take their cycling a step further, to jump in the swimming pool or to take up rowing—perhaps in Strathclyde park in my constituency. When people from Scotland achieve the heights that some have achieved this summer, they inspire youngsters—and, indeed, others—to take up sports and physical exercise, which leads to a healthier lifestyle. That is why 2014 gives us a unique opportunity to improve, to extend and to make comprehensive participation in sport in Scotland and to drive forward the fantastic achievement that can come from taking part in competitive sport.
Does Jack McConnell agree that we can make the most of the inspiration that has been provided through the summer's activities only if facilities are in place, and that if facilities do not exist people will go back to being couch potatoes?
I was just coming to that point. If we designated 2014 as Scotland's year of sport and focused on three areas in particular, we could achieve higher levels of participation and greater excellence in advance of, during and after that year.
The first of those three areas would be participation and excellence in schools. I strongly believe that all parties in the Parliament should strive towards the objective of every child regularly having two hours of physical education in school—which the Parliament has stated on a number of occasions. By 2014, it should also be perfectly possible for all Scotland's school pupils to enjoy at least one competitive sporting opportunity during that year—because competition in sport extends participation to another level and gives youngsters another sense of achievement and opportunity.
Secondly, in the run-up to 2014 and during the year itself, we can improve and extend our programmes and facilities—which Margo MacDonald mentioned. Many facilities are already under construction, but many more are still aspirations. Providing facilities and programmes to operate in them would give more people opportunity, but to achieve the legacy of facilities from 2014 we need greater support from the national lottery.
Thirdly, I believe that the opportunity afforded us by those who have achieved the highest level in their sport this summer, such as Chris Hoy, to act as their sport's ambassadors for healthy lifestyles and living give us an opportunity to get more and more Scottish youngsters to take part in sport and adapt their lifestyles. Amid all the challenges of the 21st century for them, that would give them a better opportunity to lead healthy lives, be less obese and, ultimately, take part in the sporting challenge that 2014 will provide.
I thank Patricia Ferguson for lodging the motion for debate, and I wish her a speedy recovery. I also thank Jack McConnell for opening the debate. It is important that the matter is being debated fully in Parliament.
I signed and support the motion, which calls for 2014 to be designated Scotland's year of sport, but I hope that Parliament's and Scotland's ambitions will go beyond that one year, and that we can look forward to every year being a year of sport that benefits the health and wellbeing of Scots.
I and others, including Jack McConnell, have called for all political parties to come together and make representations to the Westminster Government regarding funding for the Glasgow Commonwealth games, including lottery funding. I am pleased to say that all political parties in the chamber have agreed with us, even though Andy Burnham, Labour MP and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has said no. Will the Minister for Communities and Sport assure me in his summing up that cross-party representation will be made to the Westminster Government about the important issue of funding to ensure that Scotland gets its fair share of funds and is not penalised, as is happening at the moment, by having lottery funding taken away from community sports and their further development and given to the London Olympics? I think that we all agree on that, so I hope to get an answer on it from the minister.
We should remember that the Commonwealth games in Manchester received £112 million of lottery funding for revenue costs and infrastructure. However, no lottery funding is forthcoming for the Commonwealth games in Scotland, which are being funded entirely by the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council.
I want the 2014 games to benefit Scotland and Glasgow so that children are encouraged to take up sports and physical activities and communities are unified. I want the games to promote Scotland as being a great place in which to live and work and I want the games to include tourism, as well. Most important, I want the games to involve and help the people of Glasgow.
On that note, I want to ask the minister two specific questions on training and jobs. Perhaps he cannot answer them; they might be better asked of the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism. However, will representations be made to employers who will be involved in building the Commonwealth games village and the sporting arenas to ensure that local people will be given the first, or any, opportunity to get training and jobs? It is important that we take such people with us. We want to leave a legacy from the Commonwealth games that will benefit the lives of the people of Glasgow and Scotland as a whole. It is an important issue, but if the minister cannot answer my question, I hope that he will pass it on to the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.
Another issue that I want to raise is volunteering—an important aspect of the games and other sporting activities. I ask the minister to ensure that volunteering opportunities are offered not only to the people who regularly do a fantastic job in other areas but to others, such as disabled and disadvantaged people and the elderly, who may not be aware of the fact that they can take up the opportunity of volunteering. Will there be a project or a media campaign to encourage such people to come forward and volunteer to help with the games?
We have a fantastic opportunity for Glasgow in the Commonwealth games, so we must ensure that we secure the moneys. I agree with Margo MacDonald that we must ensure, too, that the games leave a lasting legacy for the health and wellbeing of our children and Scottish people in the future.
I join other members in thanking both Patricia Ferguson for initiating the debate and the former First Minister, Jack McConnell, for making the opening speech. Obviously, I have a scheduling issue this evening because of the champions league match later on. Although the past 24 hours have been fairly traumatic, given the coverage on the airwaves and in public print of the division between our two biggest football clubs, if one of those clubs can put out the team that put out the team that put out Rangers, the commitment across sport in Scotland might be a bit more positive.
To be fair, this evening's debate is about the opportunities that 2014 will provide. Although we may have differences of emphasis—depending on our general political affiliation—on how to arrive at our desired outcomes for the 2014 games, I want to put on record the fact that lottery money will be included in much of what is combined within the 2014 commitments. Many of the major facilities will include an element of lottery contributions; the debate is about how much more we can receive in such contributions rather than whether we will get any lottery money.
As Jack McConnell said, the three issues on which we need to focus in the coming period—I am tempted to reframe the debate by calling this our version of PSP—are physical education, sports facilities and pathways. First, we need to ensure that the level of professional and educational development of PE in schools is of a quality that is commensurate with what people perceive was the case in the past. Secondly, we need to ensure that people have access to sports facilities that are fit for purpose, as was highlighted in one of the briefing papers that was sent to all members. Thirdly, we need to ensure that we provide pathways for people to participate in sport, whether that participation is at a very basic level or allows people the opportunity to excel and develop.
All of us who have been involved in sport over the years have experienced the extent to which volunteering behind the scenes makes a difference. Following my experience of sport as a teenager—despite how I might look nowadays—that level of expertise and knowledge is now used in the community, as is the case with many of the volunteers who take part in the football and athletics clubs in the community I am from.
I can also see that in the development that I see in my teenage son, who recently had the privilege of representing Scotland as part of the under-18 rugby league squad in the European championship challenge. Scotland was runner-up in that tournament, behind Wales. I have not quite managed to grasp the Scotland jersey from his back, and I know he was perfectly proud to represent his country. I advise the minister that he is keen to make progress in that sport and would be delighted to represent the Great Britain rugby league team—he would be happy to represent both Scotland and Great Britain if that experience were to be allowed him. He often responds to me by saying, "At least I can show you some medals, Dad."
Finally, as an elected member whose constituency covers the east end of Glasgow, I concur with comments about the need to use the Commonwealth games for regeneration. However, although I am partisan and partial about the east end of Glasgow, I believe that the games provide an opportunity for a Scotland-wide legacy in the dialogue that we will have with local authorities, sports organisations and funders at different levels. The 2014 commitment should provide a scale of commitment to sport that is markedly better than has been the case in recent years, although we have made progress on the issue over recent years. Barack Obama once said that all politics is local; we need to ensure that much of that sports development is local as well.
I hope that the debate this evening and subsequent debates will show that we can make a significant difference. Therefore, I agree with the commitment to make 2014 a year of sport for Scotland.
I congratulate Jack McConnell on securing today's debate and agree with him that 2014 will be a very special year in sport for Scotland. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the medal winners in the GB Paralympic team on their hugely successful performance in this year's games. Like their Olympic colleagues, they have done the United Kingdom proud and have been an inspiration to many of us back home.
The Scottish Conservatives are looking forward to the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth games. We recognise the huge opportunity that the games present both for focusing global attention on Scotland and for encouraging Scots of all ages to become involved in sport. I am sure that many Scots youngsters will have been truly inspired by the performance of our Olympic heroes, such as Chris Hoy, and that many more will be inspired by our elite athletes in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth games and, indeed, by our top golfers in the Ryder cup.
The Scottish Conservatives are passionate about getting our young people involved in sport and physical activity of all kinds, as can be witnessed in our recent policy announcement on securing Outward Bound education for all children in state schools.
However, the correct infrastructure must be in place to ensure that children's aspirations can be met. The other day, I received a letter from a constituent in Lochgilphead in Argyll, who is in despair. She has three children who are members of the Mid Argyll Athletics Club and who have excelled at long and middle-distance running. However, this term, they have had to abandon training altogether because there is no longer a suitable venue since the brand new high school was built with no track and field facilities. That is hugely ironic as many Lochgilphead residents, led by Hugh MacArthur and Bill MacAllum, founded a trust to build running facilities for mid-Argyll youth on the ground where the new school has now been built. It is hugely frustrating to have young people who are dead keen on athletics and a dedicated coach but no local facilities.
We need to address such issues if we are to ensure that our youngsters receive the health benefits from sport that we all want to see, and to provide medal-winning sports people for the future. Perhaps the minister will want to comment on those points in his speech.
As a sports enthusiast from Lochgilphead said to me, a kid from Lochgilphead is likely to become a champion hurdler because he has to jump so many hurdles to get any training facilities. Lochgilphead's nearest running track is now at Scotstoun in Glasgow, a 200-mile round trip. Sportscotland helps urban areas but seems to take no account of rural needs. Now that sportscotland has a new director, I will write to him to try to secure a more equitable approach to rural areas, especially in funding for track facilities. Why should a Scottish child be disadvantaged in athletics because he or she does not live in the central belt?
We all recognise the massive and unprecedented opportunity that 2014 offers Scotland to be a global sports hub. We also know that investment and support need to be put in place now to allow Scots of all ages and in all places who wish to become active in sport to be able to do so. I commend Jack McConnell's motion, and I look forward to the minister responding in a positive fashion.
I congratulate Jack McConnell on bringing the motion before us, and I wish Patricia Ferguson a speedy recovery.
In a way, my speech follows on from what Jamie McGrigor said. I quote from a letter from my constituent, Christina Raeburn:
"I am a parent of a 16 year old son who like a lot of young people in Caithness has a passion and a great talent in his field of sport. As a parent I have experienced many frustrations from a local and a national level of the lack of support in a financial aspect of my son having to travel to compete at a national level. We as a community have many young people who commit themselves to train hard, compete for their club and country at competitions."
That is the same problem that Jamie McGrigor talked about. In our case, it is about the sheer cost of young people accessing sports facilities down as far as Inverness. That is a problem for the far north, which I am sure that all rural members recognise.
In the far north, we experience underinvestment of capital in sports or leisure facilities, sometimes called leisure centres. The problem is historic; I am not having a go at the SNP Government at all. Fortrose, Dingwall, Alness, and Ullapool—all, it might be noted, in John Farquhar Munro's constituency—enjoy well-equipped leisure and sports facilities. There is one facility in my constituency, in Invergordon, but after that, they die out as one heads north. I have written to the minister about that.
That situation arose because, back in the 1980s and 1990s, the then Ross and Cromarty District Council, under the leadership of Douglas Sinclair, decided to invest heavily in the towns that I mentioned. Douglas Sinclair then became chief executive of Fife Council—he is known to many members here—and that groundbreaking policy followed. Other councils, such as the one in Caithness and Sutherland, chose not to do so. In the period immediately before local government reorganisation, the then Inverness District Council decided to invest similarly, and we have facilities such as the aquadome in Inverness.
The net result is that such facilities consume a large proportion of the Highland Council's sport and leisure budget. It is very difficult for the council to address in capital and revenue terms the historic underinvestment in places such as Caithness and Sutherland. I am having constructive dialogue with the minister on that matter. To give credit where it is due, the Scottish Government has been listening. I do not know what the solution is—I suspect that it is difficult to find, as resources are finite. Nevertheless, we must address the matter if we are, as Jamie McGrigor suggests, to afford sporting opportunities to our youngsters regardless of where they come from in Scotland.
I pay tribute to a constituent of mine, Mr Billy Manson, from Halkirk. Tomorrow, he and I will meet the minister to discuss a project that he has brought forward at his own hand to develop a pretty serious sporting facility in the village of Halkirk, in Caithness. It is people like Billy Manson who can make such things happen. I look forward to a constructive and, I do not doubt, thoughtful meeting with the minister tomorrow.
The year 2014 will be hugely significant for Scotland. We should be very proud that the Commonwealth games and the Ryder cup are coming to our country. However, I would like to see, in the years after 2014, young people with talent in my part of the world—which is very far from here—enjoying the opportunity to take part in the games and the Ryder cups of the future, following training in suitable facilities not far from their homes.
I thank Jack McConnell and, through him, Patricia Ferguson for having lodged the motion and for the work that she has done in this area over the years. I agree that the year 2014 should be marked out as Scotland's year of sport. However, we should not wait until then—we should do it now.
I particularly take to heart Sandra White's remarks about funding. That is all important, as all sorts of strictures will be placed on local councils for the next few years, given the present economic situation. The year of sport will showcase Scotland, will bring benefits in terms of health and community development and will, we hope, raise the bar in our sporting prowess. I make no apology for making a special case for Scotland, but members will be pleased to hear that I will not make too much of a special case for Edinburgh on this occasion.
It is important that there should be community access to the facilities that are provided. I have news for Jamie Stone. At the weekend, my husband attended an athletics meeting in Dingwall to watch one of our granddaughters take part. The minister should look at those outlying areas, as they are deprived of the sort of facilities that we are beginning to see in and around the central belt. Having said that, I must criticise a bit the facilities that are attached to the new schools and that double as community facilities. They are often of a minimum standard. That is not raising the bar. We must be a bit more ambitious than that.
Jack McConnell talked about the requirement for volunteering, which is the second big requirement that we have in moving towards the year of sport. We need properly qualified coaches, who, by and large, will come from the ranks of volunteers. We must make it a bit easier for them to gain qualifications in their sports. We tend to forget that it costs money to get qualifications. We might encourage more people to take part in sport, but we will not raise the standards unless we have very good coaching. Therefore, the minister should seek out the best ways in which to quickly increase the number of coaches that we have. It is not good enough to look only to PE teachers; parents, grandparents and so on must be drawn upon. I have some ideas about that, and if the minister wants to talk to me about them after the debate, I can tell him how they might be put into effect. I do not have the time to go into that just now.
Sportscotland is doing a grand job, although it could do better. Unfortunately, its attention will be distracted from the task in hand because it is having to move to Glasgow—but that is another topic.
My final remarks concern the provision of PE in schools. It is an utter nonsense to continue to talk of the aim of having two hours of good-quality PE in schools. That is not happening, and I would like an audit done soon of the number of PE teachers who are unemployed, teaching other things, working in leisure centres and so on. We are not meeting that target and doing so will require much more than the lip service that it is paid in this chamber in debate after debate.
I am given one opportunity every parliamentary session to have a motion debated in the chamber and I am using my upcoming opportunity to deal with the subject of sport. I hope that every party will take part and support my suggestions—the motion has been supported by representatives of every party. The debate will take place next Thursday; I will see members here.
Like other speakers, I welcome the opportunity to speak in this evening's debate and to support the motion that was so ably moved by Jack McConnell. I also reiterate the comments made about Patricia Ferguson. She was an excellent minister and is a great supporter of Scottish sport—I have seen her at a number of sporting events in recent times. She is a great ambassador for Scottish sport, and I wish her well.
The year 2014 will provide an excellent platform for showcasing Scotland and sport, and we have a lot to celebrate in terms of sport. I wish the European team all the best in this week's Ryder cup. I hope that the players bring the cup back from the United States of America. It will be tremendous to have the event in Scotland in 2014, as it will focus on Gleneagles and our other golfing venues. St Andrews is very much the home of golf and is a great visitor attraction throughout the year. People go there to look at a course where the likes of Tom Morris, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods have strolled up the fairways. The course is a terrific venue and St Andrews is a terrific town.
It is right that the Ryder cup should come to Scotland in 2014 because that will be the first time that it has been held here since 1973. One of the disappointing things about this week's Ryder cup is that, for the first time in the history of the cup—I think—there is no Scottish representation on the European team. I hope that that is put right for the contest in two years' time. Holding the Ryder cup in Scotland in 2014 will galvanise Scottish golf, contribute to golf in communities throughout Scotland and, hopefully, produce professional golfers who are able to compete for a place in the 2014 Ryder cup team.
We have seen great successes in the Commonwealth games, such as Lachie Stewart's famous victory in the 1970 games—I do not remember that, of course, but people have told me about it. I remember Liz McColgan's win in 1986, and I know that, when she was interviewed recently, she said that that was her greatest success, because she won in her own country. The joy that we saw on young people's faces when we won the Commonwealth bid last year showed that they know that they have a chance to compete in their own country.
I concur with what other speakers have said about the work of volunteers. In that regard, I pay tribute to the work of Cambuslang and Rutherglen sports council.
Making 2014 a year of sport fits in with many of the policy challenges that we discuss in this chamber. We often talk about improving the skills infrastructure in a way that will support sport and getting that right will help in 2014. Last week, we debated the obesity action plan. Having more people participate in sport will contribute to a healthier nation, which will in turn contribute to economic growth, and 2014 also offers an opportunity to boost tourism in Scotland.
I look forward with optimism to 2014: it is an opportunity to celebrate Scotland, to build on the success of the events and to ensure that we contribute to the success not only of sport, but the economy.
Like other members, I congratulate Jack McConnell and Patricia Ferguson on their work on the motion and on securing today's debate. I also welcome the many constructive comments that members from all parties have made. I add my congratulations to our Paralympians, who will return home with another tremendous haul of medals. Jack McConnell mentioned Aileen McGlynn. Libby Clegg won a silver medal and Jim Anderson won four medals. Those are tremendous achievements, and I pass on my congratulations—as Mr McConnell did—to all the athletes who took part in the games.
Sport contributes to our strategic goals of making Scotland a wealthier and fairer, healthier, safer and stronger, smarter, and greener place to live. The sector employs more than 47,000 people and generates some £2 billion. Record numbers of visitors to Scotland are expected in 2014. The health benefits of participating in physical activities are well evidenced. Sport also plays a role in building safer and stronger communities through diversionary programmes, such as those that are supported through the Government's cashback for communities initiative.
In order to become a sporting nation, we need strong club structures throughout all our communities—clubs that are easily accessible and ready to embrace all abilities, and which have strong links to the wider community infrastructure.
I have heard rumours about fiscal fines. I wonder if the proceeds of those could be diverted to develop sport in communities, like the other source of revenue to which the minister referred.
I am sure that Margo MacDonald will not be slow in bringing that idea to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Sport should be an inherently fun activity that gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy themselves and those with talent the opportunity to realise their potential so that they can become the next Chris Hoy, Katherine Grainger or any of our other Olympians. We are committed to achieving our twin ambitions of increasing participation and improving performance, as set out in the national strategy for sport. The Government endorsed the reaching higher scheme, and it has backed that up with record investment in sportscotland of £133.9 million over the next three years.
As is the case for many members, the provision of sports facilities figures prominently in my correspondence. As a nation, we need to address the generally poor state of many of our sports facilities. We have some world-class sporting facilities, and we are delivering more, such as the facility at Ravenscraig and the new national velodrome for the Commonwealth games. At a local level, we must work more imaginatively to ensure that we maximise investment in facilities and make the most of existing facilities, such as the school estate. We will, of course, work with local authorities to achieve that, and we are happy to offer support through sportscotland in that respect.
I look forward to working with colleagues from all parties to ensure that 2014 is not only a great year for sport in Scotland but a catalyst for change and improvement in sport and throughout civic society in general. However, the Government's ambitions should not be limited to 2014. We should not settle for one solitary year of sport; we should ensure that every year is one in which our top sportsmen and sportswomen succeed on the international stage.
Bringing two of the world's prestigious sporting events to Scotland in 2014 confirms our country as a place to host major international events, and others are on the way. In 2009, Murrayfield will again host the Heineken cup final and rugby league's magic weekend. In 2010, Edinburgh will host the archery world cup final. In 2011, Lanarkshire will host the international children's games, and the women's British Open is to be held in Scotland on at least five occasions between 2011 and 2020. That is just the tip of the iceberg. We aim to build on those events. We are developing our strategy to ensure that Scotland can continue to enjoy the many benefits that such events bring, locally and nationally.
We want to capitalise on the interest and enthusiasm that has been generated by the recent successes of our Olympians and Paralympians, and keep the momentum going through to the next Commonwealth games in Delhi, London in 2012, and beyond Glasgow in 2014.
I appreciate what the minister said about keeping the enthusiasm going, but does he agree that he would now meet hardly anybody in the street who could tell him who won the rings gold medal for Scotland at the Manchester Commonwealth games? It is necessary to keep providing facilities to get people into sport—it is not only Olympians who do that.
I am happy to agree with those comments. We are doing exactly what Margo MacDonald suggests. We are trying to build a legacy between now and 2014 and beyond. We want to do so by capitalising on the interest and enthusiasm that have been engendered by the recent successes, but that is not the only way that we will do it.
The 2014 games present us with an opportunity to raise our sights as a nation, to make real improvements to people's lives and to regenerate communities. Scotland is not unique in wanting its legacy, but we are unique in starting to plan so early. It is recognised that it is imperative that we deliver lasting legacies from hosting major events. There need to be significant benefits from the investment that is made.
Volunteering is a key area that we want to develop. The potential of the games to bring social change throughout Scotland is of massive importance. The games will require between 12,000 and 15,000 volunteers. I support the aspirations of the organising committee and acknowledge the plea of Volunteer Development Scotland to explore the wider possibilities of volunteering.
The games have the potential to give Scotland's most disadvantaged the opportunity to rebuild their lives, regain respect and restore their confidence through volunteering. The games can inspire people of all ages to act in ways that benefit themselves and their communities. The spirit of the games can do so much to increase the number of volunteers across Scotland and the range of activities that they undertake. Sandra White and other members mentioned the legacy in respect of volunteering. I could not agree more, which is why we will take that forward in Government and with our partners in Glasgow City Council.
I volunteered at the 1986 games in Edinburgh, and I still remember the experience with great pleasure. The games were difficult in respect of the organisation and the problems that they faced, but for the many volunteers who took part it was a pleasurable and memorable experience. I would certainly recommend volunteering to anyone who is thinking about doing it in 2014.
I am delighted that cross-party momentum is now building behind the view that we should receive financial support from the lottery to secure the legacy of the 2014 games. It is fundamentally wrong that our good causes should be penalised to pay for London 2012. In order to deliver Scotland's legacy ambitions for the 2014 Games, the £150 million that was diverted from Scotland must be returned. With those funds, we can capitalise on the inspiration, ambition and levels of engagement that have been generated throughout Scotland by our winning bid. I agree that there has to be cross-party and non-party representation if we are to succeed in that plea.
Sandra White raised the issue of training, jobs and upgrading skills. I welcome Glasgow City Council's announcement that it will include community clauses in tenders for games-related contracts. That will be helpful in developing new skills and creating new jobs for local people.
In response to Jamie Stone's comments, I look forward to tomorrow's meeting. I am sure that we will have a thoughtful discussion of the issues that concern people, particularly in rural areas.
I say to James Kelly that, if my memory serves me right, the last time that there was not a Scot in the Ryder cup team was 1937, so it has happened on one previous occasion.
There is a problem with the school estate. The situation has improved in many areas, but there are access problems. The view of the Government and probably all members in the chamber is that we want as much community access as possible and we want facilities to be available for as long as possible, so that not only schoolchildren but the community can benefit from facilities.
I look forward to enjoying the sporting spectacular that 2014 will bring to Scotland but, more important, I want to see a new sporting era for Scotland, of which 2014 will be but one highlight—albeit a very important highlight—over many years of major events and major sporting activity. I hope that we all take part in those events by providing support, by volunteering or by ensuring, as parliamentarians, that our constituents are aware of the opportunities that will arise over the next few years leading up to 2014, and that we build a true and lasting legacy for Scotland beyond 2014.
Meeting closed at 17:44.