Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you, convener. I am delighted to be on this committee. I should, for the purposes of transparency, indicate the entries in the register of members’ interests detailing things that I did before I was elected and that are business related.

In addition to my professional career, in between the time that I was an MP and became an MSP I was a paid consultant for Invicta Public Affairs, working in the marine energy sector and the wood panel industry. I was also a paid consultant to the Institute of Sales Professionals; a leadership consultant for an organisation called Results Based Leadership; and an independent assessor for the faculty of professional and social sciences at Middlesex University. Since I have been elected, I have continued to be a fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals.

I think that that is as transparent as I can possibly be. I know that it is a repetition of things that are already in my register of interests but, for the purposes of clarity, I do not think that we can go wrong by doubling down on it.

We have had quite a discussion and you have given a fantastic overview—I think that Michelle Thomson called it “compelling”, and I agree with her. We have focused on a number of reserved issues, such as VAT rates, employer national insurance contributions and so forth. We are a committee of the Scottish Parliament and so I am particularly keen to hear, in nuts-and-bolts terms, what the Scottish Government needs to do. I would like you to address that, if you would. I will direct my questions at Marc Crothall, David Hope-Jones and Leon Thompson, but they are probably specifically for Marc Crothall and Leon Thompson. What things does the Scottish Government need to stop doing, start doing and continue doing? Leon, you mentioned investment in skills and so I would like you to specifically talk about that, if you would, when you address my question. I will start with Marc Crothall.

What does that mean?

It is related to what Michelle Thomson asked. Paul, you started out by saying, “We are in good shape”, but the “we” seemed to be the council. The council was communicated with by the Scottish Tourism Alliance in July, extending the “we” to include all the people who are going to have to collect the taxes, in effect, and send them to the council. In its communication to you, it said that, as of 14 July,

“There is still no practical or technical guidance from the council or VisitScotland, despite assurances we have received, like the guidance that was published for local authorities back in October 2024.”

My question is very simple. I hear public sector bodies saying, “We are ready”, but what feedback are you getting, on the basis of that sort of communication from the Scottish Tourism Alliance? The people who are on the front line of this do not sound as if they are ready at all. What is your response to such representations? What is your broader on-going engagement with the sector and what is it telling you?

Is that the sentiment of the stakeholders?

Yes, but what about the customer experience on the ground? You have covered the process that gets people here. What about their experience when they are here? How does your organisation measure that, and what are your thoughts on that aspect?

Can I ask you to say a bit more about regulation? Are you effectively asking the Scottish Government to cut regulation or are you asking for no more regulation? Which is it?

Has that been discussed in Scotland?

Just very briefly—I know that we are running out of time. My first question goes back to the ideas of price elasticity and of supply and demand. From the earlier panel, we heard an incredible example about visitors to the north of Scotland choosing to share a glass of wine and a bowl of soup, because their ability to spend has been compromised. The whole question of price is a real hotspot for us, and we should be concerned about how we are being perceived. You mentioned that in your submission, in which you highlighted

“perceptions of value for money”

and said that you are aware that

“some tour operators are beginning to move to alternative destinations.”

Data points on visitors’ reactions to what they perceive to be value for money either exist or are there to be gathered. It was said previously that a visit to Scotland is worth every penny. As a Scot, I agree with that. However, we have to listen to what people say about what they perceive to be, to use your own words, value for money. You then went on to mention tour operators. In gathering such data, we seem to be facing a problem that we could describe as price related, but perhaps ought to be framed in the context of value for money.

Willie Coffey mentioned problems with VistScotland’s website. I think it was a big mistake that you closed down your information centres. One of Scotland’s greatest assets is its people. Seeing a friendly face across a counter or desk in a visitor or information centre represents value for money. I think that you have been stripping value out of the proposition that you put before both potential and actual visitors to Scotland. In your submission you mention that issue, but you do not address it. What are you doing, what have you done or what do you plan to do to drive up people’s perception of value for money?

Right—I am not sure you are addressing my question. However, I think that we are running out of time, so perhaps we could pick up the point later. Does VisitScotland not have any say in the quality or the value proposition of the product?