1. Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP): I refer members to
my entry in the register of members’ interests and, in particular,
to my membership of the Musicians’ Union. To ask the Scottish
Government how it promotes the Scottish music sector in Europe.
(S5O-04111) The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External
Affairs (Fiona Hyslop): We fund Creative Scotland to support
and promote Scottish music in...Request free trial
1. (Renfrewshire South)
(SNP):
I refer members to my entry in the
register of members’ interests and, in particular, to my
membership of the Musicians’ Union.
To ask the Scottish Government how
it promotes the Scottish music sector in Europe.
(S5O-04111)
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External
Affairs ():
We fund Creative Scotland to support and promote Scottish
music in the rest of Europe and the rest of the world. Since
2008, we have invested £25 million in the festivals expo fund,
providing an additional platform for Scottish Musicians to pursue onward touring,
including in the rest of Europe. Every year since 2007, we have
allocated £350,000 to support our national performing companies
to perform in Europe and the rest of the world through the
international touring fund.
:
I commend the Scottish Government
for the support that it gives to the Scottish music
sector.
The Musicians’ Union is calling on the United
Kingdom Government in Westminster to back a Musicians’ passport for Musicians working in the European Union
post Brexit. The MU believes that such a touring visa scheme
should last for a minimum of two years, be free or cheap, cover
all European Union member states, get rid of the need for
carnets and other permits, and cover road crew, technicians and
other staff who are necessary in allowing Musicians to do their jobs.
As convener of the cross-party group
on music, I will write to the UK Secretary of State for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, , to raise the matter.
Will the Scottish Government support
the calls of the Musicians’ Union and the cross-party group
on music to support continued ease of movement for Scottish and
UK Musicians in Europe, and to raise the
matter directly with the UK Government?
:
This week, the UK Government and the European Commission
set out their starting positions for the negotiations on the
future relationship. The
ability of UK citizens and companies to enter easily, move
around and do business in the European Union is every bit as
important as the arrangements for those from the rest of Europe
to come here. We will listen very carefully to the position of
the Musicians’ Union and others who have an
interest in the matter.
Last week, we launched our policy
paper “Migration: helping Scotland prosper”, which speaks of
our desire to have an open and flexible agreement on mobility
between the UK and the EU, which is what we will pursue. I will
be very interested in the Musicians’ Union’s discussions with the UK
Government. There might be an opportunity for the Musicians’ Union’s idea of a touring visa to
be raised at the forthcoming festivals visa summit that we are
hosting soon with the UK, Welsh and Northern Ireland
Governments.
(Ettrick, Roxburgh and
Berwickshire) (Con):
The music sector is vitally important in promoting
Scottish culture. However, I am concerned, as are Sir James
MacMillan, Sally Beamish, Phil Cunningham and other leading
music academics, about the impact of music tuition fees in
schools. There is the potential for pupils to be squeezed out
of music tuition, especially those from a deprived background,
meaning that a generation will miss out on representing
Scotland on the music stage. Does the cabinet secretary realise
that, and will she ensure that the upcoming budget better
promotes music in our schools, particularly for kids on free
school meals?
:
The member will be aware that the Scottish Government
supports music through our youth music initiative, which we
have maintained in recent years. It is very important to
encourage and inspire young people in regards to music. The
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and I have regularly
met the music education partnership group. We are pursuing the
issue with local authorities and, in particular, the Convention
of Scottish Local Authorities, to make sure that there is
access to music tuition. Of course, with a very fair funding
settlement for local government, we have repeatedly seen a
number of councils, particularly Dundee City Council and
Glasgow City Council, ensure that there is free music
tuition.
It is recognised that free music tuition does so much for
individuals. It can tackle attainment as well as provide the
lifeblood for future Musicians to tour and have careers in
the music sector. Some very good proposals are coming forward
from a number of individuals, not least among them Nicola
Benedetti, with whom the member might be familiar, who has a
proposal for a charitable trust. If we add those to the work of
John Wallace and the music education partnership group, we can
see positive developments that will ensure that we can maintain
music tuition and that youngsters from financially deprived
areas in particular will have access to it. I am glad that we
have cross-party support in pursuit of that.
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