Chamber and committees

I will move that on in my last question. With commercial properties, traditionally, somebody would have taken on the whole building, which would often be sublet for SMEs or microbusinesses. The model that you mention is similar, but for artisans. As you suggest, the return on investment is not as clear cut, which might rule out some of the bigger private guys.

Can we see something like that working to repurpose buildings? I appreciate that there is a lot of complexity around funding, if there is a public-private initiative, for example. Are there any final comments on that? Perhaps Anthea Coulter or Gemma Cruickshank would like to come in.

I noticed in our documentation that you have consulted your members. Are you able to provide any insights off the back of that that would help to answer my question?

I do not know whether you all heard the earlier session, but I was exploring the multitude of ways in which culture, leisure activities and tourism can support the recovery of town centres. In particular, I am interested in the creative ways of doing that rather than the passive ways, which I described as putting a proposition in a box and into a former retail unit. That is still intrinsically passive, and I see the cultural element in particular as a main contributor to vibrancy.

I know that we have a lot to get through, but I would like to know whether there are any creative ideas that could translate into policy initiatives for the Government rather than for other agencies? I have to pick somebody to answer, so I will go with Danny.

I will direct my question to Phil Prentice and Jennifer Hunter. We understand and have had a variety of evidence on the ways in which culture, leisure and tourism can support the restoration of town centres. I am interested in a word that was used by Scotland’s Towns Partnership in its submission, which talked about encouraging “vibrancy” and the use of culture in that regard. In my view, we are trying to get away from a kind of proposition in a box, because culture lives and breathes—it is creative and dynamic, and so on.

I would like to hear your insights into that. I am not in any way suggesting that that is easy, and I ask that you highlight some of the complexity that comes with that. Perhaps Jennifer would like to go first.

Beyond the framework that has already been set out and a welcoming open-mindedness to the vibrancy that you described, are there specific policy initiatives that the Scottish Government could adopt that would be valuable, beyond what Jennifer Hunter has already mentioned?

I thank the minister for his statement. I have been approached by a constituent who offered, and which offer has been accepted, a place in their home for a Ukrainian family using their own direct social media connections. I am aware that there will be considerations around ensuring safety and that various checks will be required, but my constituent is asking how they can proceed, which authorities should be made aware and whether they can self-match at all. Can the minister provide any advice to those in such situations and advise when he expects the system to be fully operational?

If I write to the minister, will he endeavour to reply to me as soon as possible so that the situation can be rectified timeously?

I thank the cabinet secretary for her statement and celebrate the ambition that is contained in it, particularly the actions regarding women.

My question is specific to my constituency of Falkirk East. It concerns data flows as a critical enabling technology. Only recently, US President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made a joint declaration on co-operation regarding the value of data flows. Germany is leading within Europe, and the German Government has mandated the method of Obashi Technology Limited, a pioneering firm, to map and model its data flows. Will the minister meet me and Obashi senior management at its site in Stenhousemuir to learn about how Scotland and the Scottish Government could utilise, and lead the world with, that critical new technology?

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of the United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer’s spring statement will be on Scotland’s SMEs. (S6O-00954)

I thank the minister for that very strong answer. He highlights the accelerating inflation, rising national insurance and so on, to which I would add borrowing costs. Much more should have been done to support SMEs. Will the minister meet me to discuss some ideas that I have about further specific actions that can be taken to support SMEs in my constituency of Falkirk East and across the sector?

Good morning, Professor Sparks, and thank you for your contributions so far. It has been a very interesting session.

You said earlier that international comparisons are useful. First, I would like to get some more thoughts from you on what parallels you see elsewhere with what the Scottish Government is able to do, given that there are limitations here on the availability of fiscal levers.

Secondly, what differences do you see in how change is undertaken? You have touched on some of the challenges that we have here, such as local engagement and so on, but I am interested in your knowledge of what has happened elsewhere in those two key areas.