Several cultural organisations in Scotland have reported a decline in the ability to deliver their services. That is not because of Brexit but because of the Scottish National Party Government’s inability to provide adequate funding to the sector. Does the cabinet secretary accept that his Government’s funding failures have negatively impacted the sector?

I am pleased to speak in today’s debate marking the 40th anniversary of volunteers week, and I thank Kevin Stewart for bringing this important debate to the chamber.

Volunteers make a vital contribution to services and communities up and down the length of the country, and it is only right that Parliament has the opportunity to express its thanks. Volunteers provide benefits for so many communities across Scotland, and volunteering can be a truly rewarding experience for individuals who give up their time and share their talents to provide support.

The impact of volunteering can be seen across all sectors of society; we have heard some important examples of that from Kevin Stewart. The Fraser of Allander Institute has highlighted that voluntary organisations make huge contributions to different areas of our economy. I welcome the institute’s new project, which aims to identify the true scale of volunteering across the United Kingdom.

Regardless of the raw numbers, however, members need to look at the some of the huge gaps that would be left in communities if we did not have those volunteers doing that work. For example, we know that volunteering is an important part of the fight against loneliness in Scotland. A survey has shown that the most common type of informal volunteering involves supporting those who are at risk of loneliness, and we know that the support that they receive is so important. Age Scotland has identified that half of those over the age of 50 have sometimes struggled with loneliness.

However, rates of informal volunteering have been declining since the pandemic. That is an important issue that we need to look at, and we need to encourage individuals to support volunteering and take it up. However, there is an issue, in that Disclosure Scotland is potentially going to introduce fees for processing applications for volunteers under the protecting vulnerable groups scheme. That proposal could have a massive impact on some sectors if it goes through. I know that a consultation is taking place, but it would be good to get some views on that from the Minister for Equalities in her closing remarks.

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association is a fantastic organisation that is supported by many volunteers. I am lucky to have a number of men’s sheds across my region, including in Forth Valley and the wee county. They provide support to individuals and communities, but we would not have that type of support in place if they were not run by volunteers. I therefore welcome that the Scottish Government has finally accepted the numerous calls to restore funding to the men’s sheds network, as that will help to support more than 200 sheds and 10,000 members across Scotland.

However, despite long-term funding for such organisations, it still remains for us to ensure that volunteer-led organisations can continue to be viable. As has been identified, they are assets in fighting loneliness and isolation. In so many sectors, organisations and areas in our communities and our constituencies, volunteering shows what the benefits are when individuals give of their time and of their talent to provide services in their communities.

In conclusion, the hard work and dedication of volunteers is so important to organisations and projects in every corner of Scotland. Their work is fundamental, and it is part of our fabric of our society. It is right and important that we celebrate them in the chamber today, and thank them for all that they do to support our communities up and down Scotland.

Good morning, gentlemen. This entire saga has cast a dark shadow over Creative Scotland. In your opening statement, Mr Wilson, you suggested that it had caused “significant controversy”. I would suggest that that was the least of the situation; significant controversy is where we are with the application. The application itself and the public statements that were subsequently made differ—and we have been privy to lots of information over the past few days. The explicit nature of the project in itself made it significantly controversial.

Has an assessment been made of the reputational damage that the matter has created for Creative Scotland and the sector? Can you tell us what that damage is?

Finally, what lessons can be learned from this entire saga to try to rebuild confidence in the sector and deal with the reputational damage to which you have already alluded?

In your letter to the convener of 16 April, you stated:

“Rein was originally supported in the knowledge it would be a challenging, creatively ambitious piece of experimental performance art, with a clear storytelling narrative, strong sexual themes and simulated sexual performance”.

However, it was very much the case that the performance was not to be simulated. From looking at some of the information that we have seen from freedom of information requests, it is clear that, right from the start, genital contact and sexual performance was being indicated.

Why did you say that to us in your letter of 16 April, while knowing that the information was not correct?

Mr Hamilton, would you like to pick up on that?

Good morning, panel. You have already touched on some of the report. We have talked about alignment and conformity, and we have also touched on rules of origin and how things can be progressed. We know the challenges that we face: the differences, the standards that we have and the key standards that need to be agreed. Are there any opportunities for the UK and the EU to negotiate changes to the TCA? How effective might any such negotiations be?

Thank you. Mr Holmes, do you have any comments on that?

On a point of order, convener. I was not able to connect. I would have voted no.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work it has undertaken to prepare for the introduction of low-emission zones in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. (S6O-03470)