The Scottish Government laid its latest comprehensive reports on its policy of alignment with the European Union on 31 October, and I provided evidence on the topic to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee on 21 November. The reports detailed that Scotland continues to align with the European Union where that is possible and meaningful in protecting and advancing high standards, and they set out our priorities for working with the EU across the full range of devolved policy areas, including the digital economy.

The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, the lead public body for the protection and preservation of historic sites in Scotland. The Bernat Klein studio in Selkirk is in private ownership and, as such, responsibility for the property’s care and maintenance lies with its owner. However, it is worth noting that Historic Environment Scotland delivers around £14 million of grant funding each year to individuals, groups and organisations for projects that benefit the historic environment. Information on how to apply for funding can be found on its website.f

The Scottish Government values the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture. We have demonstrated our commitment to the culture sector through an increase of more than £34 million in funding for 2025-26 and by introducing new tax relief for hospitality premises, which will benefit smaller music venues. I urge members of the Scottish Parliament of all parties to vote for the budget in February to ensure that that transformational funding for Scotland’s culture sector is secured.

The Scottish Government recognises the role that grass-roots music venues play in supporting the talent pipeline. We will introduce a 40 per cent relief for mainland hospitality premises, including grass-roots music venues with a capacity of up to 1,500 and those with a rateable value of up to and including £51,000, and that relief will be capped at £110,000 per business. Further detail will be set out in secondary legislation in due course. That relief will reduce overheads and support the wider cultural ecosystem and the night-time economy. However, if Murdo Fraser has any proposals to widen, deepen and broaden support for the culture sector, I will be happy to look closely at them.

Jackie Baillie is correct to highlight the importance of Dumbarton castle. For those who are interested, I commend “Vanished Kingdoms”, an excellent book by Norman Davies, who dedicates a whole chapter to the kingdom of the rock Alt Clut. I am happy to take up the invitation to visit.

Given the importance of Historic Environment Scotland’s invaluable work in relation to Dumbarton castle and hundreds of sites around the country, I hope that Jackie Baillie will vote for the budget early next year.

The Scottish Government recognises Dumbarton castle’s historical significance and its protection as a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We are proud that Historic Environment Scotland, our lead public body that investigates, cares for and promotes Scotland’s historic environment, continues to look after the many important cultural assets in our care, including Dumbarton castle. That is why we have allocated more than £74 million in the 2025-26 budget for Historic Environment Scotland’s invaluable on-going work.

I want to close the debate by thanking Lorna Slater for lodging the motion. I recognise and welcome her on-going engagement on this important issue and her interest in the future management of Holyrood park, the north-west of which is in my Edinburgh Central constituency.

As we have heard from the various testimonials from esteemed colleagues across the chamber, Holyrood park means many things to many people. It is a place to connect with one another, our nature and our history; it is a place to inspire us and to spark physical activity and creative energies; and it is a place to educate us, to demonstrate the powerful volcanic geology beneath our feet and, sadly, to show us the impacts of climate change.

It is important that the balance of elements that makes Holyrood park so special is maintained. The many combinations of meaning that people experience during their visits add depth and complexity to the management of the park. Those management responsibilities are handled by Historic Environment Scotland on behalf of Scottish ministers, as Holyrood park is a property in care.

As was discussed earlier, HES published the strategic plan for Holyrood park in September 2024. That clearly defines the purpose of the park in terms of positive impacts on health, wellbeing, climate and economic factors, and in terms of community connections, shared history and local and national identity.

The plan also recognises that Holyrood park is an important element of the tourism offer for Edinburgh. The park, which contains a mountain in the city, provides a unique and outstanding visitor experience that enables tourists and residents alike to connect with nature and their shared history right in the heart of the capital.

It will never be an easy task to manage such a popular central site, especially one such as Holyrood park, which already has a wealth of designations, from sites of special scientific interest, listed buildings and conservation areas to world heritage site status and scheduled monument protections. However, significant legislation is in place to ensure that such a unique site is managed appropriately. Those regulations and designations are carefully followed by Historic Environment Scotland while it endeavours to deliver an accessible and diverse asset for the people of Scotland.

Any suggested changes to the legislative protections for the park will, of course, be considered in due course, following due process and collaboration. I encourage colleagues who have an informed interest in the matter to share their views with me and the Government, as I will then share those views with Historic Environment Scotland, which I will meet early next year.

I will be happy to do that and to raise anything else that colleagues wish me to raise. I am happy to give that assurance.

As I stated earlier, the park means many different things to people and, as such, it is important to note that the strategic plan was not crafted in isolation and then enforced on unsuspecting park users. Historic Environment Scotland conducted extensive face-to-face public and stakeholder engagement, and it ran an online citizen space public survey and consultation, which took place over 12 weeks, from September to December 2023. That work gathered just under 5,000 returns—I have no doubt that some of the members in the chamber today were included in those returns.

The returns were then analysed, and the resulting consultation report was published in September 2024 and can be found on the Historic Environment Scotland website. By carefully examining those varying views, Historic Environment Scotland has been able to use an evidence-based approach to consider how the park is currently used, the perceived issues and priorities for the park and how park users see the role of the park in the context of Edinburgh, both now and in the future.

As we have heard, one issue that elicits divergent views is traffic management in the park area. I am fully aware that there are still issues to be addressed with regard to the park, and the strategic plan does not include a final movement strategy for it. Such a strategy is being developed by Historic Environment Scotland in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council, and it will align with the council’s “City Mobility Plan 2021-2030”. In addition, detailed surveys will be required to inform the plans for future traffic movement and active travel to ensure a sustainable future for the park.

I am pleased that Historic Environment Scotland is engaging with the local authority and Police Scotland to consider the implications of future proposals, as well as ensuring that further research and development will take place with park users and residents. In considering traffic management in the park, Historic Environment Scotland is looking at ways to make it easier and safer for people of all ages and abilities to choose healthier and happier travel options that will allow them to continue to access and enjoy that high-quality public space.

Similarly, access to geological features in the park should be permitted where it is safe. I know that there is a real risk posed by rockfalls, especially around the Radical Road and Samson’s Ribs. That risk to the health and safety of park users, rangers and contractors needs to be carefully assessed and managed to ensure that Historic Environment Scotland is able to meet its legal responsibilities for public safety. Although I appreciate that there can be frustration at such measures, it is paramount that the highest priority be given to the health and safety of all park users and workers.

In summary, although there are still areas of on-going work, overall, the creation and implementation of the strategic plan is welcome, as is the on-going community involvement and consultation. Historic Environment Scotland continues to navigate the delicate balance of connection between our communities, our natural world and our history. I take the opportunity to extend my special thanks to the small team of Historic Environment Scotland rangers and parks ground staff who do such excellent work covering the on-the-ground services for everyone who enjoys using the park.

I reiterate my thanks to Lorna Slater for her interest in Holyrood park, and to Historic Environment Scotland for encouraging park users to share their views and help to shape the future of the park. I am so pleased that Holyrood park continues to offer such rich opportunities for our local community, our understanding of history and our experience of nature, right here in the heart of our capital city.

Maggie Chapman makes an excellent point about multiyear funding. As a result of the Scottish Government’s proposed budget, there will be the biggest ever funding increase—outside of the Covid recovery period—for the culture sector in Scotland. That will allow the introduction of multiyear funding for cultural venues and organisations throughout Scotland.

However, I gently say to Maggie Chapman and to colleagues in other political parties across the chamber that that will happen only if MSPs pass the budget. I hope that she will vote for the budget, vote for the increase in culture funding and give the green light to multiyear funding.

Creative Scotland has invested more than £30 million in response to applications from individuals, projects and organisations in the North East Scotland parliamentary region since 2019 and has made more than 1,400 awards. That investment includes: a total of £1.7 million in more than 40 projects through Screen Scotland’s screen education programmes; a total of £2.9 million in six Culture Collective projects; a total of £12.5 million each year for 12 regularly funded organisations; and youth music initiative formula funding to all five local authority areas in the region each year, which, in 2024-25, totalled £1.2 million.