– in the Scottish Parliament at on 8 November 2023.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Labour
3. To ask the Scottish Government how much grant funding it provides directly to each of Scotland’s botanic gardens annually. (S6O-02682)
Mairi Gougeon
Scottish National Party
Scotland is home to many world-class botanical gardens, including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which operates across four locations in Scotland. The RBGE receives funding from the Scottish Government, as well as from a range of other sources, and, in the current financial year, the Scottish Government grant in aid to the RBGE was worth £30.4 million.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Labour
Glasgow botanic gardens has provided free access to generations of visitors for more than 180 years, with huge benefits, including for health and wellbeing. In recognition of that, free access has been sustained for nearly two centuries. However, like so many cherished facilities and vital public services, it does not seem to have survived the Scottish National Party-Green Government cuts, with Glasgow City Council now suggesting charges of £3.50 for an adult and £1.50 for a child.
I note that the Cabinet secretary did not mention Glasgow botanic gardens in her answer. What funding does she provide to Glasgow botanic gardens, and what is her view of charging during a cost of living crisis?
Mairi Gougeon
Scottish National Party
I will address a couple of points in Pam Duncan-Glancy’s questions. First, I specifically mentioned the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and its gardens in four different locations, and the fact that we directly fund it through grant in aid, because it is a non-departmental public body. It is a statutory body that was set up and established through the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985.
I did not mention Glasgow botanic gardens because we do not directly fund it.
I completely appreciate the member’s points about free access. The last thing that we would want to do is exclude people from green spaces, particularly those in our city centres, but we are in a really tough time with regard to our budgets. We are feeling that in the Scottish Government, and I know that local government is feeling it, too.
Last year, there was an uplift in local government funding. I would just come back to the point that—
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Thank you, Minister. I need to move on.
Mairi Gougeon
Scottish National Party
—in relation to Glasgow botanic gardens, that is a decision—
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Minister, I need to move on. Thank you.
Question 4 has not been lodged.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
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However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
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Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
