Murdo Fraser MSP today (October 9) asked an SNP Government Minister if it is not time to axe the “bloated and failing” Creative Scotland following the quango being mired in controversy.
Murdo, who is now the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economy, Tourism and Culture, highlighted the issue to Angus Robertson MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, during a Portfolio Question session on Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.
Speaking during the question session, Mr Fraser said: “Creative Scotland is a body that is wreathed in scandal. An £85,000 grant for an explicit sex film was withdrawn after a public outcry, and a Creative Scotland literature officer called bookshops to demand that they stopped stocking a book by a gender-critical writer, Jenny Lindsay.
“Meanwhile, arts grants are being cut across the country. If money is tight in the culture sector, is it not time that we took an axe to this bloated and failing quango and, instead, diverted that money to those who produce artistic output at the grass roots, where they are desperately in need of it?”
Following the question session, Mr Fraser commented: “I welcome the fact that the Cabinet Secretary confirmed to me that the SNP’s Programme for Government included a commitment to undertake a review of Creative Scotland as part of a wider plan to review the way in which the culture sector is supported.
“The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged the fact that I raised the various issues surrounding Creative Scotland in Parliament and told me these will be looked at as part of this review and stated that funding will play an important part in the consideration of the review.
“We have to remember that Creative Scotland is an arts body mired in controversy. In addition to the scandalous proposal to fund a sex film and the hounding of Jenny Lindsay, the quango also recently announced that long-term funding decisions would be delayed until next year.
“I await the outcome of the review into Creative Scotland with great interest.”
