Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 29 January 2025.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how it delivers support for community ownership of heritage assets. (S6O-04255)
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through our sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, which is the lead public body responsible for the historic environment. HES works alongside key intermediary organisations such as the Development Trusts Association Scotland, regional economic development agencies and local authorities to support community ownership or development of heritage assets. HES also works directly with community groups to advise on opportunities and risks in asset transfer; skills and material provision in conservation projects; business development; and heritage planning. HES also publishes on its website online resources for communities to provide help and advice.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
The South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust is taking forward plans to purchase the world-famous tomb of the eagles site in South Ronaldsay, in my Orkney Constituency. The trust is working closely and constructively with the owners, Orkney Islands Council and a range of national funding bodies, including HES. There is strong support in the community and across Orkney, and the trust aims to see the site reopened to the public in the near future. Given that we know that community ownership of local heritage assets can catalyse local access and unlock enormous benefits locally and nationally, will the Cabinet secretary welcome that initiative and offer what support he can to the development trust so that the iconic tomb of the eagles site can be opened to both locals and visitors in the very near future?
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
I very much welcome the work that has been undertaken. I would be delighted to hear from the development trust about whether there is anything that the Scottish Government or our agencies can do to help to speed up and deliver the project that Liam McArthur has outlined. I would welcome getting as much insight as possible into the project. Through his good offices, I ask Mr McArthur to pass on my best wishes to everybody who is involved in it. It would be useful for MSPs right across the chamber to learn from good examples in other parts of the country.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
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.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
