Chamber and committees

I am interested in understanding the group that has been set up to look at public procurement for venison. How is that operating in relation to how local authorities write their tendering contract? Having previously been a councillor in East Ayrshire, where there is a huge amount of public procurement for school meals coming from local producers, I know that transforming the way in which those tenders were written and the way in which the person reading the tenders interpreted the information that they were given was key. Will that approach play a role? It is not just about driving costs down when you are tendering for those things; it is about looking at the wider picture.

I am interested in understanding what processes NatureScot uses to assess an applicant’s competence and fitness to be authorised, especially for higher-risk activities such as using shotguns or night shooting. It would also be helpful for the committee to understand whether the bill will make a meaningful change to that process.

The issue that I am trying to explore relates to lowland deer management and the fact that a lot of people will be asking permission to go out on the land and, in a hobby capacity, help the landowner to manage deer. The costs associated with that person getting to that level of competence can be quite prohibitive. Perhaps we should be thinking not about larger estates in Highland settings but specifically about lowland settings.

The answer to these questions might be short and sweet as well. Section 32 of the bill introduces an offence of failing to report the taking or killing of a stray farmed deer. Are stray farmed deer a problem in Scotland? Do you agree with the provisions that are set out in section 32?

If we think about Scotland as a whole, do we have the necessary skills spread across the whole of Scotland? My colleague Emma Harper touched on that. Do we have people across Scotland who possess the skills that we are looking for to carry out those activities, or does NatureScot believe that there is a need to train up and provide assistance to people to get that level of competence?

I thank my colleague Marie McNair for bringing this important debate to the chamber on a topic that many still find difficult to talk about.

This might be a bit of a stereotype, but I think that it is one that definitely holds some truth: men are notorious for ignoring their own health. It is interesting to note that, today, we have a woman helping to get the conversation going in Parliament to mark testicular cancer awareness month.

Many of us with men in our lives will be all too familiar with the battle of encouraging them to see their GP when they finally disclose to us that they have noticed a change that needs to be checked out. That can be about any part of the body but, when it comes to what is between their legs, the embarrassment factor is ramped up, meaning that changes are not discussed or explored in a timeous manner. It should not be that way, and that is why I applaud the efforts of Cahonas Scotland, which is working hard to raise awareness about testicular cancer and to encourage men to be aware of the symptoms and see their GP if they notice any changes. Its brilliant, stigma-busting “Check yer bawballs” Christmas campaign, which has been mentioned several times already, has been supported by famous figures such as Ayrshire’s footballer Billy Gilmour, who have helped to send the message that, once in a while, preferably monthly, men need to check their testicles.

As we have heard today, if testicular cancer is detected early, there is a 95 per cent cure rate, and survival rates have risen every year since the 1970s. However, it can be detected early only if men know what to look out for and are proactive. Therefore, I will repeat the symptoms, just to really hammer the message home. Men should be aware of a lump or swelling, heaviness and discomfort or pain. Like others who have spoken today, I encourage all men listening to this debate to head to the Cahonas Scotland website and sign up for its monthly self-check reminder, which will ensure that they get a text once a month to remind them to give themselves a quick examination, using the handy guide that can be found on the website. A quick check after a bath or shower is the best plan and is something that all men should work into their schedules.

That is also the call of Capital Radio presenter Chris Stark, who, as Paul Sweeney just mentioned, recently announced that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, but that, thankfully, it was caught early and he is now effectively cured. He wants all other men to set aside their blushes and encourage each other to check themselves. That just might save someone’s life.

Cahonas Scotland has launched a new campaign called “Check Your Balls for LIFE” to mark testicular cancer awareness month. LIFE stands for lumps, irregularities, firmness and enlargement. The good news is that most of those symptoms are not caused by cancer, but it is important for men who encounter them to keep calm and contact their GP to double check.

I am eager to hear from the minister about what steps the Scottish Government has taken or could take to spread awareness and educate men further about testicular cancer and how to check for it, especially young men, as we know that most cases of testicular cancer affect those aged 15 to 45. We need that knowledge to be as well understood and widely known as breast self-examination is for women—that is something that is hammered home to us at a very early age. We need young men to be leaving education with an understanding of why it is important that they give themselves a check.

Today, we have heard a positive message for men, overall. Testicular cancer is rare in Scotland and it is also easy to diagnose and treat. However, that is the case only if we get the right message out there and get men to talk, take responsibility for their health and get on the phone to their GP if they need to. They must just forget about the embarrassment. There are prosthetics and all sorts of things out there. Men do not need to worry about having one ball—they can have two at the end of this anyway.

My thoughts are also with the workers and the wider Grangemouth community today.

It would be remiss of me, as a Canadian citizen, not to use this opportunity to congratulate Mark Carney on becoming Canada’s new Prime Minister last night, on a platform that was defined by one simple but effective statement: “Canada strong”. In the face of hugely turbulent economic times, with the threat of a tariff war between the United States and Canada dominating over the past few months, that message united the majority of Canadians who—to quote a much-loved and much-used Canadian hockey term—put their elbows up to defend and promote team Canada.

We must do the same here today. Regardless of political persuasion, all of us in this place recognise the huge potential in Scotland and see that we often punch above our weight when it comes to innovation and securing inward investment. A record number of foreign direct investment projects were secured in 2023 in Scotland, the only part of the UK to see growth for five consecutive years, taking it to its highest level in a decade. Scotland is the top destination in the UK, outside London, for foreign direct investment, according to EY’s latest attractiveness survey.

Scotland’s economy grew by 67 per cent in real terms between 1990 and 2022, at the same time as we cut our greenhouse gas emissions in half, which shows that tackling climate change and growing a thriving green economy go hand in hand.

Scotland is open for business. Support in the UK for business cannot stop at the border. There is no denying that Scotland has the potential to lead in high-growth industry sectors such as advanced manufacturing, net zero industries, life sciences, innovation and artificial intelligence. On the world stage, it is recognised that there can be no better investment than an investment in Scottish innovation, because we have the talent, skills and resources in abundance to be a major player in the energy transition and secure a prosperous and sustainable future.

However, it is abundantly clear that we need co-operation between all spheres of government in the UK to realise the potential that we have in spades. Westminster has repeatedly failed to equitably spread opportunities for investment, employment and prosperity across the United Kingdom, and the UK Government must urgently develop a collaborative industrial strategy for the whole of the UK and recognise all that Scotland has to offer.

Many here today will speak about Grangemouth and project willow, or the north-east and Acorn. I will spend the small amount of time that I have left speaking about the sleeping giant that is Ayrshire, where my Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency is. Ayrshire has long been recognised the world over for producing the very best engineers, who have innovated and pushed the envelope—my own father being one of them. However, sadly, due to the economic downturn in 1980, he took his family and his skills to Canada.

Recently, the Ayrshire growth deal, with more than £250 million of public money investment promised, signalled to the region that all three local authorities and both Governments were committed to waking the giant from its slumber. The deal is also expected to secure a further £300 million of private sector investment for the area. Covid has played a role in stalling some of the projects, and we have seen the vision being redeveloped over the past couple of years. It is crucial that we pull out all the stops so that Ayrshire can realise its potential and we bring a halt to the depopulation that always accompanies deindustrialisation.

In my constituency, I have innovative go-getters such as the Emergency One Group in Cumnock, which is a world-leading provider of innovative firefighting technology solutions, with customers right around the globe. It was the creator of the first all-electric fire appliance, which is an absolute sight to behold. It continues to nurture and develop the local workforce, helping to keep folk local.

Global wood panel expert Egger is massively expanding its operations in Auchinleck to include a lamination line, ensuring that the work stays local. Every time that I have an employment fair, there is a massive queue at its stall, because it has a much-sought-after apprenticeship scheme—which, again, nurtures local talent.

As other members have mentioned, the Scottish Government stepped in to save Prestwick airport. Thank goodness for that, as it is home to more than half of Scotland’s aerospace workforce. In excess of 3,000 highly skilled employees are located in the cluster, and there is a pressing need for many more. The aerospace campus has long-established and strong links with academia, and some of the UK’s leading aerospace-related training courses are delivered close by. It is also important to recognise the role that Ayrshire College plays in supporting and developing that strategically important workforce. Those jobs are extremely well paid and, in turn, can help to stabilise local populations and stop outward migration.

Both Governments must urgently realise the enormous potential for Ayrshire to become one of Europe’s leading centres of aerospace activity, in a location that is perfectly placed and strategically connected. There has been heavy private investment there to ensure that low-carbon and “factory of the future” standards are met while the necessary diversification and evolution takes place in Scotland’s rapidly growing aerospace sector. Global aviation companies can see what Prestwick offers not only in manufacturing but in maintenance, overhaul and repair operations. We need to see that, too. There must be a rebalancing of the UK’s economy if Scotland’s extraordinary economic potential is to be met. I urge both Governments to put Ayrshire firmly on their maps and at the forefront of their minds.

I thank Neil Bibby for securing the debate and for bringing this important issue to the chamber. We are talking not only about the cancellation of a television programme but about the silencing of a cultural voice—one that has spoken to and for Scotland for more than two decades, and which has spoken to those of us on the west coast and in the central belt in a way that rings true to our own ears and our lived experience.

I cannot overstate how vital it is for people to see themselves reflected in the media that they consume. I learned that when studying journalism and communications at university in Montreal in the 1990s. In that French-speaking part of Canada, we were taught that hearing authentic voices in our own language, and situated in the familiar, is key to cohesion and self-worth. It is definitely not a nice-to-have option; it is institutionally critical. The BBC’s decision to cancel “River City” is more than just a scheduling choice; it is a cultural and economic setback that Scotland cannot afford.

I remember well the show’s debut in 2002. Having managed to get my three-year-old down for the night in time, I sat down with a big cuppa and a cake of chocolate. I must say that, by the end of the show, I just loved it. My ex-husband not so much, but then he hated it whenever I watched “EastEnders”, “Neighbours” or any of the other “stories”, as my granny used to call them.

Since then, “River City” has been a vital platform for Scottish storytelling. It has brought the lives, the struggles, the humour and the heart of everyday Scots into our homes, week after week. Unlike shows set in London or Manchester, “River City” is not filtered through a distant lens; it is authentically Scottish. It showcases our accents, idioms, social issues and humour, all within the familiar setting of fictional Shieldinch. It reflects Scotland as we see it, and not as others imagine us to be. Cancelling “River City” sends worrying messages that regional voices do not matter, that Scottish stories do not sell and that, unless we are based in the media hubs of London, our voices are disposable.

“River City” is not just a cultural icon; it is a crucial pillar of Scotland’s creative economy, and offers a pathway and a scaffolding for talent and creativity. The show employs a huge range of professionals—not just actors and writers, but camera crews, set designers, costume departments, make-up artists and countless others who are often invisible to the audience. It offers consistent employment in an industry where work is often unpredictable. Its filming, which is based in Dumbarton, helps to support local businesses, fosters creative talent and provides a pipeline for young Scots entering the media industry. Cancelling the show risks creating a cultural vacuum and an economic one, too.

We talk about levelling up and decentralising opportunity, but how can we do that if we are cutting off the very platforms that nurture regional talent? What happens when aspiring Scottish writers see fewer avenues to tell their stories? What happens when actors must leave Scotland to find work? What happens when Scottish children grow up seeing fewer characters who sound like them, in streets that look like theirs? This is not just about nostalgia; it is about representation, employment and respect. The BBC’s decision also smacks of snobbery and classism, which we must call out. It says, “Let us support London’s east end but not Glasgow’s Shieldinch.”

I urge the BBC and its decision makers to reconsider that choice. If “River City” is struggling, they should support it, revamp it and reinvest in it, not erase it. When we cut off the stories of a nation, we cut off its voice. In doing so, we risk dimming the light of Scottish culture at its source. Let us not allow that to happen. The BBC must think again.

Good morning to the minister and Jim Wilson. My questions are on relationship breakdown and domestic abuse.

Minister, I would like your views on whether the proposed inclusion in the bill of an exception in the context of relationship breakdown is the right thing to do. We know that relationship breakdown can be very complex, and such an exception would allow for individuals seeking to use the provision in a way that might be damaging to the other individual. However, there might also be genuine cases of pet theft in that context. I would like to hear your views on that exception.

Thanks very much.

Perhaps we could explore the issue of domestic abuse a bit further. We have existing laws on coercive control, which has been recognised as a huge issue in domestic abuse. I have previously worked directly with women and children affected by domestic abuse, and I repeatedly witnessed pets being used—including their being the subject of theft and their being withheld—to perpetuate coercive control. You have already alluded to this, but is the Scottish Government satisfied that domestic abuse could be used as an aggravator under the existing legislation in such cases?