I am in favour of the use of long-term funding models across the culture and arts sector. That is why the Government is committed to multiyear funding for cultural organisations and venues.

I am working hard within Government to make the case for that funding to be in place as part of the normal budgetary process. I very much hope that, if we are able to secure the funding—and I am confident that we can—to allow the roll-out of multiyear funding from the next financial year, parties and members right across the chamber will vote for the budget. Without the budget going through Parliament, the funding will not be in place for Sistema or anybody else. We need a budget to go through, and we need it to have the appropriate allocation for culture. I hope that Mr Lumsden will vote for it and not just raise questions about it.

I am concerned by any temporary difficulties that cultural organisations find themselves in, and there have been a number of such difficulties in recent years. When such difficulties have been raised directly either with me or with Creative Scotland, there have been interventions to ensure that the organisations can continue.

We are in the process of ensuring that funding is in place for the multiyear support of cultural organisations. I would be grateful if the member or any other colleague who hears of such issues arising between now and the budget process could raise them, because I am keen to ensure that we not only sustain the organisations that are in place but find the funding—the means—to give them a medium and long-term confident financial future.

However, I again make the point, which I have made to members of the Conservative Party, that that will require members across Parliament to support the budget. We cannot wish just for the ends—we have to wish for the means, too. If the funds are secured and included in the budget, which I am very focused on ensuring is the case, I hope that Mr Sweeney will join me in voting for it.

I appreciate the need for clarity from the culture sector in relation to the outcome of Creative Scotland’s multiyear funding process. Indeed, I meet Creative Scotland regularly to discuss that matter. My last meeting with it was on 27 September, when I reiterated the Scottish Government’s support for arts and the culture sector and the multiyear funding process.

I also explained that the Scottish Government can provide further financial clarity only once the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out her budget. I am making the strongest case possible for appropriate funding as we increase funding for culture and the arts in Scotland. I have no doubt that Audrey Nicoll will vote for that in the budget, and I hope that members across the chamber will do so, too.

The strategic partnership for Scotland’s festivals will seek the input of arts festivals of all sizes across Scotland. It will bring together arts festivals, public bodies and the wider culture sector with the aim of developing a strategic approach to how festivals are supported in their delivery and development. That will include consideration of how the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase culture funding by £100 million by 2028-29 can uphold the role of festivals in the culture sector.

Delivery plans for the partnership are currently being worked up, but the Scottish Government’s aim is to ensure that all interested stakeholders have opportunities to input into and shape its work.

I appreciate the challenges that are being faced by cultural organisations. The Scottish Government engages with local arts organisations across Scotland, directly through Creative Scotland and through membership organisations, and we are closely working with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector to support, where possible, organisations that are facing immediate challenges. We will continue to do everything within our powers to ensure that the culture sector has in place the stable and supportive financial arrangements that it needs in order to fulfil its potential.

I welcome Murdo Fraser to his role as culture spokesman for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, and I offer him—as I have his predecessors and front-bench colleagues of all parties—an open door. I look forward to working with him where we can find agreement.

I recognise the important role that Creative Scotland plays in supporting the arts, screen and creative industries. The programme for government included a commitment to undertake a review of Creative Scotland as part of a wider commitment to review the way in which the culture sector is supported. The decision to review Creative Scotland is normal practice in ensuring that the functions and remits of public bodies continue to meet the needs of Scotland.

I would very much like Scotland to have an embassy network like those of other independent countries. We unfortunately do not have that at the moment. I will quantify that—I think that that it is the benefit of having an annual review, and I am surprised that Mr Kerr was not convinced by last year’s statistics. I will update him, as perhaps he has not read the review.

Through the international network, Scottish Development International provided support that resulted in trade worth £1.7 billion. More than 1,000 planned real living wage jobs in Scotland are associated with investment that was supported by the Scottish Government office in the United States of America. More than £120 million in planned capital investment was supported by the Scottish Government office in Canada, and more than 360 companies were supported by the Scottish Government office in the USA. Those are just North American statistics. I could go on, but I do not have time enough to do so.

I will make sure that Mr Kerr has the updated second annual report. I hope that he will welcome it, and I hope that he will take the opportunity to thank all those people who work in Scottish Government offices, all the SDI staff around the world and the more than 1,200 global Scots who do so much to boost Scotland and its standing internationally.

As Mr Mountain knows, the Scottish Government proactively publishes details of all ministerial engagements, as per section 9.17 of the ministerial code. However, we do not hold details of staff and ministerial working time spent on overseas engagement. As I have said in relation to the Government’s international network, I view such engagement as an essential part of doing the job of promoting Scotland internationally. It brings benefits to our economy, jobs, education and tourism—I could go on. I hope that Mr Mountain supports that.

It has caused absolute consternation that the closure was announced before any consultation—frankly, it is shocking that a Labour-led council should do such a thing. I take the opportunity to pay tribute to the community campaigners—especially Jim Slaven and the city centre ward Scottish National Party councillor, Finlay McFarlane—who have been strongly making the case against the temporary closure by the Labour-led City of Edinburgh Council. Especially in this 900th anniversary year of Edinburgh, the People’s Story and its important working-class history must be open to the public. That must be a priority.

My answer to the member’s question is yes, the Scottish Government, through Museums Galleries Scotland, has been liaising with the City of Edinburgh Council to look at ways in which a temporary closure can be lifted.

With the greatest respect to Mr Choudhury, that is buck passing by the Labour Party on the closure of the People’s Story—I repeat, the People’s Story—which was set up by the Labour Party and closed without any consultation. Mr Choudhury suggests that that is something to do with the Scottish Government, but it has nothing to do with the Scottish Government and everything to do with the wrong priorities of the Labour Party.

Yes, I have asked Museums Galleries Scotland to become involved, but it is through the work of the likes of Jim Slaven and Finlay McFarlane that the frankly shameful behaviour of the City of Edinburgh Council has been exposed, and through that alone. I believe that the temporary closure will have to be lifted, as it is absolutely unsustainable. We should be hearing apologies from Labour members rather than buck passing.