As a substitute member of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, I am pleased to speak in this debate, which has offered us the opportunity to celebrate an amazing wealth of culture in our communities while thinking about how we respond to the many challenges culture faces that have already been outlined. It is about building on the opportunities that already exist and enabling local communities to shape what that looks like and make it sustainable in the longer term.

The fiscal landscape is very challenging, however. In that regard, I am pleased that the Scottish Government is refreshing the national culture strategy action plan, taking account of the way in which external factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, rising energy prices and Brexit have impacted on our culture sector. I recall only too well meeting local creators in my constituency last year and hearing their deep concerns about whether they would be able to keep their studios open due to the sharp rise in energy prices and rental costs. Those challenges are very real and there is work for us to do.

The report produced by the committee is extremely comprehensive. It recognises that a place-based approach to culture is not new and considers a number of challenges in delivering local culture, including supporting cultural activity through, for example, volunteering, cultural provision and protecting spaces for culture. Personally, I found it an immensely helpful report in providing a reference point for what I and others should be thinking about in relation to how we support culture in our communities and regions.

The report reflects the importance of local networks to cultural ecology, and Deemouth Artist Studios, in my constituency, is a perfect example of that. It is home to artists, designers and makers with a strong relationship with Gray’s School of Art and community and cultural organisations. However, there is absolutely no doubt that the success of the studios has been a slow burn. It has been hard earned and the studios have faced many challenges, not the least of which is funding, as is highlighted in the report.

I welcome the Scottish Government’s recent announcement of almost £7 million to support the culture sector and, of course, the £100 million committed by the Scottish Government to the sector over the next five years, reflecting the real value that we place on culture in our communities at a time when the fiscal landscape has never been so challenging. I seek an assurance that the culture funding through, for example, the culture collective programme will continue to support grass-roots projects so that place-based culture such as the Torry Development Trust, the Doric festival and the North East Open Studios, in my constituency, can be sustained in the longer term.

Community assets are another issue that has been highlighted in the report. I note the on-going effort made in my constituency to secure the community asset transfer of a former police station that has recently closed so that it can become a community hub that will support culture. I recognise that a community asset transfer process is already available for that purpose, but I am concerned—and I think that I reflect the concerns of those who are involved in this particular transfer opportunity—that the process is less than user friendly for groups that are perhaps unfamiliar with what is required. Alexander Stewart raised that point. I hope that the Scottish Government responds to the committee’s recommendation that it engage with organisations in order to better understand what support can be provided around community ownership of assets, enabling them to realise their cultural potential in a truly place-based way.

I pay tribute to the volunteers and others who support culture in the justice space. In the Scottish Parliament, I recently hosted Aid & Abet, which is an organisation that supports the recovery of people who are leaving prison, and we celebrated the recent launch of “The Good Prison Officer”, which is a collection of reflections written by ex-prisoners about their experiences of prison. It is a fantastic example of how imprisonment has inadvertently led to a creative endeavour by bringing a group of people together to write about their life-changing relationships with prison officers. I also pay tribute to Scottish Prison Art and Creative Enterprise—SPACE—Art Scotland, Koestler Arts and the many projects and organisations that promote access to the creative arts for those who are subject to, and in, the justice system. Through exhibitions and creative interventions, those organisations harness the arts to support rehabilitation and recovery from alcohol and drug harm.

Some people may feel that culture in justice is a bit of a stretch in the context of place-based culture, but I disagree. Members only had to pop along to the culture in communities event in the Parliament this afternoon to hear the fantastic North Lanarkshire Recovery Community band, supported by Reeltime Music, to appreciate the utter value of that important work.

I thank the committee for securing the debate and allowing us to reflect on the content of an important report. I look forward to remaining involved and working for my constituents in this wonderful creative space.

Do any other members want to come in on part 3? I will bring in Russell Findlay.

In our constituency and regional roles, we probably all speak to our local police officers and hear about the volume of calls of this nature that police officers are attending. Have you had any discussions with Police Scotland about how it will take forward the recommendations in the review, given the sheer commitment that officers and police staff are having to make to this particular policing challenge?

Thank you. That is most helpful.

Were you referring to psychiatric emergency plans or individual care plans?

I will ask one final question, then we will have to bring the session to a close. It is about where we go now. Many issues that we have discussed require to be addressed across organisations—the third sector, the public sector and, potentially, the Scottish Government. I will come to Craig Naylor first, then to Dr Chopra. How do you see that collaborative work going forward, and should it be done at Government level? You might want to just answer yes or no.

Our next item of business is to continue to take evidence on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. I remind members that we are at stage 1 of the committee’s scrutiny of the bill. Today, we will focus on parts 1 to 3 of the bill.

I am pleased to welcome to the meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Angela Constance, and Scottish Government officials. Heather Tully is from the criminal justice reform unit, criminal justice division; Lucy Smith is from the victims and witnesses unit, criminal justice division; Simon Stockwell is from the family law policy unit, civil law and legal system division; and Kirsty Anderson is a solicitor in the legal directorate.

I refer members to papers 1 and 2. I intend to allow around 90 minutes for this session.

I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.

Thank you very much, cabinet secretary.

We will move on to questions. I intend to invite questions on part 1 of the bill first. We will then move on to parts 2 and 3 in turn.

I will begin with a general question on part 1, which proposes the establishment of a victims commissioner. We have heard mixed views on that proposal. Some witnesses are clearly very supportive of it, but others have raised concerns about, for example, whether that is the best use of limited resources, whether we need another commissioner, and a possible conflict with the role of the Lord Advocate. I ask the cabinet secretary for her reflections on some of the concerns that have been raised.

Before we move on to part 2 of the bill, I have a final question that relates to the British Transport Police, which sent in a written submission. In relation to parts 1 and 2, it questioned why the BTP was not considered to be a justice agency in the same way as Police Scotland is.

You will be aware that BTP representatives were in the Parliament just the other week. They spoke about a range of things, including the BTP’s railway guardian app, which enables travellers to report crimes and offences while travelling. In conversation with me, they were keen that the app be extended to women, and felt that it was relevant to safe travel for women.

Are there difficulties in and around that? If so, is the Scottish Government looking at ways to ensure that the BTP’s status, if you like, does not hinder the objectives of the bill?

We will move to part 3 of the bill, which is about the proposal to extend special measures to vulnerable witnesses in civil cases.

We received evidence from Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland and Victim Support Scotland arguing that the categories of witnesses who are deemed to be vulnerable should be broadened beyond what is in the bill and that special measures should be available automatically for those witnesses. Will the cabinet secretary consider amending part 3 of the bill in recognition of that evidence?