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The Scottish tourism sector has faced a catalogue of poorly thought through policies that threaten to seriously undermine the success of tourism and hospitality businesses. The short-term let scheme, the tourist tax and utter failure in respect of our infrastructure, including ferries and the A9, are Scottish National Party thorns in the side of Scottish tourism.

When the sector has asked for time to recover, why has the SNP ignored it and pushed ahead with a string of burdensome priorities that have caused distress and worry for businesses throughout Scotland?

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the introduction of whole-life sentences as an option for judges in relation to the most serious offences. (S6O-02334)

Jill Barclay’s case is horrific. According to the judge who presided over it, she was murdered in a “medieval” way. Under Scots law, the judge was required to impose a punishment that resulted in the sentence being 24 years, which was reduced from 29 years, due to the murderer being under the age of 25. The sentence means that it is feasible in this vile case that the murderer could be released while in his 40s. Does the cabinet secretary not agree that judges should, at the very least, have the opportunity to impose whole-life sentences for such barbaric cases?

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate, and I congratulate my colleague Murdo Fraser on bringing it to the chamber. I also put on the record the fact that I am a past chairman of Perth and Kinross Live Active Leisure.

As we have heard, the Dewars centre is reckoned to be the Hampden Park of curling, because of its reputation. Indeed, Murdo Fraser’s motion rightly states that the potential closure of the Dewars centre would be

“the death knell of a legacy of curling in Perthshire dating back decades”.

As a former chairman of that leisure company and a former councillor, for 18 years, in Perth and Kinross Council, I am acutely aware of the issues that are at stake. During my tenure as chair, the board and I, and other colleagues, had to make difficult choices on a number of occasions, but we always looked to what we could achieve in Perth and Kinross. The Dewars centre was always seen as a priority, and funding for that facility was always made available—that was an issue because, at that time, it faced certain circumstances. The stature of that facility at the local, national and international level of curling enhanced Perth’s reputation worldwide, so we felt that it had to be seen as a priority.

The families and the organisations that have supported curling over the decades must be congratulated on their pioneering work in ensuring that the centre was given the status that it rightly deserves. With regard to its reputation, and to see how much the facility matters to the community and the sport, we need look only at the accolades and awards of those associated with it, who range from local champions to, as we have heard, Olympic gold medallists.

The threat of closure stems from nothing more than the decades of chronic underfunding that councils, including Perth and Kinross Council, have had to endure under the Scottish National Party Government. In March this year, the United Kingdom Government announced that there would be £63 million of investment support for leisure centres and swimming pools in England. As we have heard, major sporting bodies urged the Scottish Government to match that on a per capita basis, using the associated funding that came to Scotland through the Barnett consequentials. I know that Mr Swinney has made comments about making difficult decisions, but when we have a world-recognised facility that has a global reputation, supporting it is a possibility that should be considered.

The speciality of the sport is vitally important, not least because, as we all acknowledge, sporting pursuits make it possible for individuals of all ages to expand their potential and develop their physical and mental health and wellbeing. We know that the national health service saves an estimated £357 million as a result of people being actively involved in doing things.

We are where we are. It is a fact that, across Scotland, we hear time and again of sporting facilities being threatened with closure.

In conclusion, the overwhelming evidence is that the Dewars centre has a contribution to make to curling and its stature on the world stage. I strongly urge the minister to consider the situation and look at the long-term security of facilities such as the Dewars centre, because they make a massive contribution. The closure of the facility would have far-reaching consequences for Scotland’s curling and the sport in general, so we need to support that rink, we need to support that sport and we need the Government to stand up and support those facilities in the interests of our communities and our constituents.

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has conducted to ascertain the public’s perception of the frequency of police patrols in their local area. (S6O-02239)

The Scottish National Party Government’s crime and justice survey confirms that there has been a significant drop in the proportion of adults who were aware of police patrols in their area. In the year before Police Scotland was formed, 56 per cent of people said that they saw police regularly patrolling their area; by 2019-20, that figure had fallen to 37 per cent. A regular police presence reassures local communities and can often deter the committing of crime. Therefore, what action will the Government put in place to reduce the burden that Police Scotland is under and boost the police presence in our local communities?

As a member of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, I take the scrutiny and governance of Parliament and its members very seriously. The committee was unanimous regarding the consultation and consideration and the decision that we reached.

The committee was of the view that Maggie Chapman’s registered financial interest—that is, the remuneration that she received by virtue of her employment as the chief operating officer of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre—was relevant to the proceedings of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on 31 May 2022.

The view of all the members of the committee was that, in keeping with the principles that underpin the code of conduct, the member should not just take into account their own view in the assessment of whether a declaration relates to committee proceedings, but should also consider whether a fair-minded and impartial observer would consider that the declarable interest could influence the member or give the appearance that the member’s ability to act impartially was prejudiced.

The committee considered that a person who watched or read the proceedings might reasonably consider there to be a connection between Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre and Rape Crisis Scotland. The committee members take very seriously any breach of the requirements in relation to failure to declare a registrable financial interest before taking part in any proceedings of Parliament relating to that matter, and the unanimous verdict of the committee was that the code was breached. That cemented the view and findings of the commissioner.

Members can seek advice from the committee’s clerks as to how any question on any matter relates to registrations and declarations of interest. The integrity and reputation of this Parliament and its members should always be paramount. Those of us who are privileged to serve as members of this Parliament should, at all times, act to uphold its reputation and that of its proceedings in accordance with the code of conduct. When Parliament delegates a decision to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee and the committee comes back with a unanimous decision, that decision should be respected.

Depression and suicide rates for farmers are among the highest of any occupation. Tragically, those figures are growing and the situation is getting worse. What steps will the Scottish Government take to not only halt but reverse that trend?

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding actions to tackle mental health problems amongst farmers and crofters. (S6O-02199)

I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer.

The bill is a victims bill in name only. My colleague Jamie Greene has proposed a true victims law that would put the interests of victims at the heart of the justice system. In particular, it promises to implement Michelle’s law, which would prevent criminals, when they are released on licence, from entering the local areas of victims. That measure was promised by Humza Yousaf when he was the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, but it does not appear in the bill. Why not?