Christina McKelvie: Over the weekend, António Guterres, the UN’s secretary general, said: “The war in the Middle East is having a staggering and unacceptable number of ... casualties, including women and children, every day. This must stop. I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” Will Carole Mochan join me in imploring all our colleagues—every member across the chamber—to agree...
Christina McKelvie: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My iPad would not connect. I would have voted yes.
Christina McKelvie: I commend Bill Kidd on bringing this important debate to the chamber. He is a long-time campaigner for nuclear disarmament and a fine advocate in this Parliament and across the world for a world that is free of nuclear weapons. He is a legend, I think. Those are my words. I welcome to the debate Melissa Parke, who is the executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear...
Christina McKelvie: I certainly will.
Christina McKelvie: Oh, it’s not like Stephen Kerr to tell a woman off in this chamber. Quite frankly, I do not take lessons from Stephen Kerr.
Christina McKelvie: I think that Stephen Kerr’s behaviour—
Christina McKelvie: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I have been listening to the tone police all my political life. I will not be listening to them, going forward—even from today. The point that I made was that the possession of nuclear weapons has not prevented states from having terrible acts perpetrated on them, which lays bare Stephen Kerr’s weak argument that nuclear weapons prevent war. They do...
Christina McKelvie: We have all looked on in horror at the escalating humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding in the middle east. Our condolences go to all those who have lost loved ones on both sides of this conflict. We unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist attacks that have been committed by Hamas. Israel, like every other country in the world, has a right to protect itself from terror. However,...
Christina McKelvie: A ceasefire by all sides is needed in order to allow the creation of a secure and sustained humanitarian corridor to ensure protection of innocent civilians and delivery of essential supplies including food, fuel, water and medical provisions. Currently, 1.4 million people are displaced within the Gaza strip. We know that many Palestinians will wish to stay in their homeland; they must be...
Christina McKelvie: Katy Clark echoes concerns that we all feel. To answer her question directly, I note that the flash appeal that we contributed to is a UN appeal. United Nations Relief and Works Agency staff remain on the ground in Gaza; the money will be channelled through their work. They are currently protecting 600,000 internally displaced people in 150 UNRWA facilities, and they tell us today that they...
Christina McKelvie: First, I thank my colleagues from across the chamber for their contributions today. Among it all, there has been some joy and much to be proud of, and I am very pleased that we have had the opportunity to discuss the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to culture. Jamie Greene asked us to be uncomfortable.
Christina McKelvie: A number of MSPs have asked about Screen Machine. I can update Kenny Gibson, Alex Cole-Hamilton and others on that. The Scottish Government is engaging with Screen Scotland to explore all avenues for supporting the future of Screen Machine. The cabinet secretary met Screen Scotland on 5 October to hear directly about the support that Screen Machine needs, so we are continuing that work. As I...
Christina McKelvie: I am coming to an end. Clare Adamson reminded us that we provided Creative Scotland with more than £33 million over five years.
Christina McKelvie: That was to compensate for reduced lottery funding. We now face difficult decisions about Government funding. The time is right for Creative Scotland to draw on those—
Christina McKelvie: Can I answer that question for you?
Christina McKelvie: Thank you very much for taking the intervention—I know that time is tight, so I will be quick. The draft budget will be proposed to Parliament on 19 December, so I would welcome your involvement in that.
Christina McKelvie: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and the fringe festival that the society operates are independent organisations. Therefore, it is not the role of the Scottish Government to assess their activity. However, following the support of the Scottish Government, especially during the pandemic, I was pleased to see the fringe return in force this year, with just under 2.5 million tickets issued...
Christina McKelvie: Our proposals give licensing authorities powers to strike a balance—a balance that needs to be struck—between the needs and concerns of local communities and the wider economic and tourism benefits of short-term lets. Licensing authorities may consider applications for temporary exemptions for a single continuous period of up to six weeks in each 12-month period, which would allow them to...
Christina McKelvie: The First Minister met the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society on 11 August 2023, and both I and the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture are scheduled to meet Festivals Edinburgh, the umbrella organisation for all 11 festivals—including the Edinburgh festival fringe—in early November. On Ben Macpherson’s question about visas, we will continue to push the...
Christina McKelvie: We will work closely with all the festivals. As I have said, I and the cabinet secretary will meet with the festivals organisations in November to pick up on all the points that Foysol Choudhury has raised. We support all the festivals. For example, one of the events that I visited during the fringe was the made in Scotland programme, which we have been funding through our expo fund since...
