Seòmar agus comataidhean

I feel favourably towards Maurice Golden’s proposal for a bill, and I hope that he will reciprocate the feeling towards my proposed bill.

The cabinet secretary is aware of my Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill, which fell last session due to pressure on parliamentary time. The bill’s aim was to deter prospective owners from purchasing dogs online and from the horrible puppy factory farms.

Without wishing to ambush her, I ask the cabinet secretary whether the Scottish Government will look favourably on my proposed bill, which I will launch shortly?

In the early days of this Parliament, there was also live coverage of general questions, leading into First Minister’s questions, and that was ditched.

Thank you for that clarity.

In war as in peace, the independence of our broadcast media must be protected from political interference. That independence presents, of course, a stark contrast to the sight and sound of what happens when the state has outright and unfettered control of public broadcasting, as it does in Russia as that country wages war on its innocent neighbour.

We know that Russia is using cluster bombs, that civilians are being targeted and that Ukrainians do not welcome the invaders but the vast majority of Russians do not know that. In Putinspeak, it is a special mission to rescue Russians living in Ukraine from Nazi-like persecution and from a predatory NATO, and that Russians are the victims. That is what happens, in extremis, when politicians censor and suppress a free press—which, even in a democracy, we must guard against. Independent broadcasters, such as the television channel Dozhd and its website, and radio station Ekho Moskvy, have been shut down as Russia eradicates non-state media. We must hope that, through social media, and especially through the eyes of the younger generations, the truth of the war is seen for what it is in all its barbarity.

The public purpose of the BBC is, inter alia,

“To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them”,

through

“accurate and impartial news, current affairs and factual programming ... Its content should be provided to the highest editorial standards.”

I want to address that last point.

We have wall-to-wall coverage of the invasion. We are seeing real-time reports, analysis, and political and international commentary. Twenty-four-hour rolling news means that there must not be any unfilled airtime; however, quantity does not always equate to quality.

Some questions for politicians are asked as if Russia were not monitoring every word for intelligence and propaganda purposes. Sometimes there is inappropriate reporting. It is true that an individual’s experience or an image brings us the human face of war but sometimes a line is crossed. Do we really need to see a microphone thrust into the distressed face of someone who is desperately trying to board a train and hear them asked, “How are you feeling?” It makes me uncomfortable.

Real-time reporting requires not only professional judgment but empathy. It also requires that such reporters do his or her own editing. It requires that they see that line, recognise it and do not cross it. Most reporters, particularly senior reporters, have skills and experience that they gained in other dreadful conflicts, and it shows. I commend all who are out in the field and reporting against a background of sirens and explosions.

However, even some on-camera questioning in studios has been unnecessarily intrusive, verging on the tasteless and even asinine. This is not a soap opera, and we must not let it turn into one. This is not entertainment to fill the lines of communication—it is for real. I suppose that I am getting angry and other people are not, and I know that we each have our own red lines, but I feel at times that such reporting crosses a line.

That said, it is in times of international crisis, such as the misery and murder in Ukraine, that our public broadcasting is most valued. I commend it, and I would make it clear that I wish not for editorial censorship but for editorial sensitivity.

Above all, I am glad that I am able to offer these public criticisms for consideration, because I live in a democracy. Minute by minute, the Ukrainians are fighting desperately to retain one.

Does the minister welcome the inquiry into town centre regeneration that I understand the Economy and Fair Work Committee is undertaking? Will he look at Galashiels in my constituency, where energise Gala—the Energise Galashiels Trust—has worked very hard over the years with politicians from all parties to try to deal with the very thing that we are discussing, which is small shops disappearing after being trampled over by large supermarkets?

Will the member take an intervention?

Presiding Officer, before I speak, can I check that the clock is correct?

The enduring pandemic has, rightly, caused the Government to divert attention and resources from those plans in order to keep people safe and protect the national health service. Will the minister share whether funds have had to be diverted from other budgets to support the efforts to combat Covid-19? If that is the case, what is the ballpark figure, if he can share that with us? Does he share my view that Opposition parties should take cognisance of the scale of the effort and the cost that have been involved in getting us to this stage of the pandemic when asking questions about delays to policies—and, indeed, when asking for additional funding?

In my long time in the Parliament—it has perhaps been too long for some people—I have never seen a UK Government behaving in this way towards devolution and devolved areas; not once have I seen that.

I was talking to myself, but, if the member wants me to talk to him, I am quite happy to do that.

The core issue is that this approach is bypassing the devolved settlement. That is the basis of it. Those at Westminster are choosing which local authorities to send their money to—and they just happen to be places where they are looking for votes. [Applause.]

That always seems to happen just before I get up. Thank you, Presiding Officer. It is duly noted.

To ask the Scottish Government what resource impact Covid-19 has had on the timetabling and delivery of legislation and other proposals set out in its programme for government. (S6O-00792)