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There have been no recent discussions with the Coal Authority on this matter.

The Scottish Government does not offer advice on this matter. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-09922 on 24 October 2012, which sets out the responsibilities of the Coal Authority. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

<>A significant number of Scottish bodies have plans for producing digital content which will capture the national cultural record and ensure greater public access. The Scottish Library and Information Council, Museums Galleries Scotland, the Scottish Council for Archives and the National Collections have signed a memorandum with the common vision of maximising digital access to resources held in Scotland’s libraries, museums and archives. The National Records of Scotland continues to digitally record its registers and records with 79 million images online. The National Library of Scotland will soon surpass over two million pages of digital content. The National Galleries of Scotland continues to add to its 3,300 online works. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland’s has 680,000 images online with more being added daily. Historic Scotland has embarked on the Rae project, which will see all properties in the care of Scottish Ministers digitally recorded over the next ten years. Scotland is the first country in the world to deliver this. Further details of plans were debated in the debate: Heritage (Digital Technology) – S4M-01023 - in Parliament on 6 October 2011: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=6740&mode=html#iob_61235.

Amongst others, the First Minister was referring to polls by Panelbase for the Sunday Times and Real Radio.

In an interview published by the LA Times on 22 September 2012, the First Minister noted the UK Government’s strongly held public position that the referendum ballot paper should only contain one question. At no point during this interview did the First Minister state that there would be a single question in the referendum.

We are providing all our young people, no matter what their background is, with a variety of free, readily accessible and sustainable opportunities to allow them to become all they can be and to be effective contributors and responsible citizens in Scottish society. Since the inception of the highly successful Cashback Programme in 2007, over £46 million recovered from the proceeds of crime has been invested throughout Scotland, through our partner organisations, directly benefitting over 600,000 young people and generating over 11,000 young person volunteers from different backgrounds who are now putting something back into their communities across Scotland.

Anti-sectarianism is not a specific funded strand of work for CashBack for Communities programme. However, a wide range of CashBack partner organisations including the Scottish Football Association (SFA), Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), Amateur Boxing Scotland (ABS), Scottish Sports Futures (SSF) and Youthlink Scotland promote positive inclusive behaviours including anti-sectarianism, anti-territorialism, respect, alcohol misuse and healthy lifestyles through educational, role model activity and development workshops with young people participating in CashBack activities.

For 2007-14, the Scottish FA has been awarded £5.436 million in CashBack for Communities funding to run a series of six projects including Schools of Football, Girls’ and Women’s Football Development, the Football Equity Project and the Diversionary Football project. The Scottish FA is currently looking at including anti-sectarianism work as part of the theory sessions in the Schools of Football project.

The Scottish Government is committed to removing sectarianism from our communities and is investing some £9 million over the current three year spending period to tackle sectarianism, and all forms of bigoted behaviour across Scottish society. The government is also undertaking a longer term programme of work to tackle violence, alcohol misuse and bigotry associated with football and is working in partnership with interested parties to develop wide ranging recommendations to help improve the game and to contribute positively to wider efforts to tackle these social issues.

You may wish to contact Donald Gillies, Football Development Manager at the Scottish FA for further details of the work that the association is doing in this area. Donald’s contact details are: Telephone: 0141 616 6180, e-mail: Donald.Gillies@scottishfa.co.uk.

I have asked Andrew Dixon, chief executive of Creative Scotland, the public body for culture and creative industries, to write to the member. Further information about Creative Scotland’s activities is available at:

http://www.creativescotland.com/.

Creative Scotland’s board is considering the correct balance between funding artists and commissioning work as I asked in my letter to Sir Sandy Crombie, Chair of the board, on 12 September. A copy is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/10/creative-scotland10102012.

The majority of Creative Scotland’s budget is spent on cultural organisations and in funding artists, film makers and others who want to realise their creative ideas for the benefit of Scotland.

Creative Scotland will also commission programmes of work strategically such as the Cultural Olympiad and the Commonwealth Games.

I have asked Creative Scotland to be more transparent in its dealings with artists and with arts organisations on the following occasions.

In my Letter of Guidance of 6 July to the chair of the board of Creative Scotland I said “Creative Scotland is crucially important in securing and maintaining an environment which enables artists and creators to flourish” and “Creative Scotland needs to give even greater emphasis to listening to and, wherever appropriate, acting upon the concerns of the sector.”

Full letter available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/10/creative-scotland10102012.

In a further letter to Sir Sandy Crombie on 12 September I said it is “crucial that Creative Scotland is seen to be knowledgeable about, listening and responsive to the concerns of the creative sector. It would be helpful to have more transparency about the use of Creative Scotland’s extensive in-house expertise in analysing and evaluating evidence and making decisions in each sector.”

Also available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/10/creative-scotland10102012.

In my public statement on 10 October I stated:

“I am taking very seriously the criticism of Creative Scotland. That is why I have asked the Board to engage directly with the sector, to address the points raised and communicate what action is already being taken. This process is already under way including a review of operations by the Board.”

Also available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/10/creative-scotland10102012.

On 22 October Sir Sandy Crombie issued a statement in which he outlined the work which the board is currently undertaking to address the criticisms which he acknowledged to be serious. He said:

“It’s important that we acknowledge a lot of these concerns are valid and we welcome the chance to air the issues through honest and open dialogue with organisations, representative agencies and individuals.”

A copy of this statement is available at:

http://www.creativescotland.com/news/statement-from-sir-sandy-crombie-22102012.