Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 29 January 2025.
Mr Mark Ruskell
Green
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on the provision of library services in Mid Scotland and Fife of the proposed local government settlement for 2025-26. (S6O-04256)
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
My colleagues and I are aware of and concerned by proposed library closures in Mid Scotland and Fife. If the Parliament supports the Scottish Government budget, local authorities will receive record funding of £15 billion in 2025-26, which is a real-terms increase of 4.7 per cent, increasing funding for local priorities. Although it is for locally elected councillors to manage their day-to-day business and decision-making processes, any decision on public libraries must be considered extremely carefully, and local authorities should continue to work in partnership with communities to ensure that services are based on local needs.
Mr Mark Ruskell
Green
I welcome the real-terms increase in council funding that is coming through the budget. I hope that that will give the flexibility that Perth and Kinross Council needs to take the closures off the table when it meets next Wednesday. However, it is clear that some councils are continually making the case for rural library closures on the basis that the statutory provision can be met from mobile libraries. Does the Cabinet secretary agree that that view fundamentally misunderstands the importance of rural libraries as free and accessible cultural and community spaces? Does he agree that it is time to look again at what should constitute a statutory library service, in particular in the rural context?
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
I confirm that I met with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities only yesterday to discuss national and local Government co-operation on culture in general and libraries in particular. The Scottish Government values library provision but greatly respects the decision-making responsibilities of local government. Nonetheless, we hope that providing additional resources for local government and for culture in the budget will provide an opportunity to protect and enhance library provision.
I remain open-minded about issues around statutory obligation, and if Mark Ruskell wishes to make that case to me, I will look closely at it.
Murdo Fraser
Conservative
Mark Ruskell is entirely right to raise the issue of libraries under threat in Mid Scotland and Fife, although I gently say to him that he might reconsider his support for the Scottish Government budget, given that that is at the root of those challenges.
Is the Cabinet secretary satisfied that the budget settlement to which he referred will mean that no libraries will have to close in Mid Scotland and Fife? Will he have a quiet word with his Scottish National Party colleagues who run Perth and Kinross Council to ensure that that does not happen?
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
I would strongly encourage local authorities across Scotland, given the new funding landscape, to look sympathetically at library provision. The last time that we discussed the matter was in relation to the review that was conducted by Perth and Kinross Council on the importance of libraries. At that stage, I asked whether Murdo Fraser wanted to forward to me the submission that I assumed that he must have provided to that review. I am still waiting for that submission, so if he is able to forward it on to me, I would be very keen to read what he provides.
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
I can squeeze in question 8 if I have succinct questions, and answers to match. I call Jamie Halcro Johnston, who joins us remotely.
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