Convener, I am trying to make the point that, as I have said to the committee, we are about to learn a lot more about the UK Government’s position.

If you are asking me to talk in concrete terms about a UK Government scheme that may change on the basis of the proposals that are about to be set out, I would prefer to reserve my position until I have looked at the proposals for an enhanced scheme relative to that which is currently in place.

The Scottish Government delivers support through our sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, which is the lead public body that is responsible for the historic environment. The Scottish Government budget for 2025-26 allocates more than £74 million to Historic Environment Scotland, which will enable the organisation to invest in fair staff pay, operate and maintain its properties, deliver grants to the heritage sector, continue research on climate change and fulfil its advisory and regulatory functions.

We hope for a strong and flourishing Scotland where all individuals are equally safe and respected and where women and girls live free from all forms of violence and abuse.

We are committed to ensuring that working environments are inclusive and safe, including on the basis of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010. The provision of safe working environments for its staff is an operational matter for Historic Environment Scotland, and I will therefore ask it to write directly to Rachael Hamilton with a full answer to her question.

The Scottish Government allocated an additional £20 million to Creative Scotland’s multiyear funding programme for 2025-26. Subject to budgetary processes, we will increase the available budget by a further £20 million to £74 million in 2026-27. This is a foundational moment for Scotland’s culture sector, including many organisations that support children and young people. More than 150 organisations—61 per cent of the portfolio—will deliver activity for children and young people, 27 of which we consider to be youth arts organisations. Examples of organisations in Glasgow that will benefit from multiyear funding and which have a focus on youth arts include Scottish Youth Dance and the Children’s Music Foundation in Scotland.

The Government has strongly raised our concerns with the UK Treasury about the impact on public services of the increase to employer national insurance contributions. Regarding the impact on the heritage sector, the increase equates to an additional £1.6 million of costs to Historic Environment Scotland.

However, Historic Environment Scotland’s commercial income continues to grow. Reflecting that commercial success, our on-going public service reform work has delivered, with Historic Environment Scotland, a revised business model that will allow it greater financial freedoms to manage its commercial income in the year. That reinvestment into our historic environment, alongside our grant-in-aid funding and HES’s philanthropic and fundraising activities, will provide it with a sound platform to continue to develop for Scotland and to maintain our historic sites.

Not long ago, I had the good fortune to visit Historic Environment Scotland at Holyrood palace—just across the road from the Parliament—where outstanding apprentices, craftsmen and craftswomen have developed their traditional skills on site. They do remarkable work at the palace, the cathedral and Edinburgh castle.

Sue Webber is right to underline that there has been a crisis in the traditional skills area, but I can give her an absolute assurance that the Scottish Government, the college sector and Historic Environment Scotland are seizing that as an issue. I am keen to keep her apprised of developments in the near future, which I am sure that she will welcome as much as I do.

I give Maurice Golden the assurance that the Scottish Government remains closely in touch with multilateral organisations and our partner countries to address the issues that he has identified.

Maurice Golden’s second point requires a lot more attention. In Scotland, we are very fortunate to have charitable organisations and others that do a lot of excellent work internationally. He is right to mention Mercy Corps, which has its European headquarters in Edinburgh. A lot of its grant-in-aid funding comes from countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom, so any reductions in overseas development aid budgets are likely to hit such organisations. It is in all our interests to ensure that the talented people and organisations in the sector that are based in Scotland receive the help and support that they need.

I commend Pam Duncan-Glancy for her ingenuity in raising yesterday’s announcement by BBC Scotland. My view on the ending of “River City” is that it is to be regretted. Like many people, I have watched it over the past 20 years. I note BBC Scotland’s commitment to three new drama projects. However, I have concerns about the announcement, particularly because of the training opportunities that “River City” has provided over the decades. I have asked the BBC to engage fully with Bectu, Equity and the Writers Guild of Great Britain on that issue. It is important to involve all the trades unions in this. We have a shared agenda of ensuring that screen and television go from strength to strength, and I would be very concerned about anything that might undermine that.

I very much agree with Mr Smyth: he wishes for those sites to open when they are safe, and I think that we all agree that that should be the case. I commend everybody who is working for Historic Environment Scotland and doing their level best to ensure that that happens as quickly as possible right across the country. I acknowledge, however, that there will be parts of the country where significant closures are in place.

I will ask Historic Environment Scotland for an update on the region and the sites that Mr Smyth asked about in order to get a better understanding of when any work is likely to be conducted and when sites are likely to open. I am sure that HES will be listening very closely to his concerns, and I am sure that we all want to ensure that our sites of historic interest throughout Scotland are able to open as quickly and as safely as possible.