1

SPCB(2015)Paper 29 18 March 2015

MAJOR EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS PROGRAMME 2015-16 Executive summary 1. The Major Events and Exhibitions Programme aims to support the Scottish Parliament’s strategic goal of public engagement of informing and involving the people of Scotland to add value to the work of the Parliament. 2. The Programme has been reviewed to seek to strengthen links between engagement activities and parliamentary business, and also to focus on engaging with people who have not previously engaged with the Parliament. 3. This Paper seeks the SPCB’s approval for the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme for 2015-16. The Paper provides an overview of the 2015-16 Programme. 4. Running in parallel to the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme are Member-sponsored events and exhibitions. It is anticipated that from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016 there will be over 400 Member sponsored events, briefings and exhibitions attended by over 30,000 guests. Issues and Options Major Events and Exhibitions Programme 2015-16 5. The draft overview of the proposed Major Events and Exhibitions Programme 2015-16, if approved by the SPCB, is attached at Annex 1. 6. If approved by the SPCB the overall Programme will include 13 major events; 5 Parliament Days; 3 major exhibitions; one themed week; and one Festival of Politics. 7. Annexes 2 to 8 sets out proposals for six individual events and one exhibition for consideration by the SPCB. Of these seven proposals, we are recommending that four of them are taken forward as part of the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme with some provisos; two are taken forward as Member-sponsored events; and that the exhibition proposal is declined. 8. When pulling together the overall Programme, officials have considered the impact of all these major events and exhibitions on parliamentary resources and building users. We have worked to reduce the impact by working with partner organisations where possible. We will refer back to the SPCB if any new proposals are received.

2

Annual events, exhibitions and themed weeks

9. In addition to the seven proposals attached to this Paper for the SPCB’s consideration, there are a number of major events, exhibitions and themed weeks that are either held annually as part of the Programme or have already been approved by the SPCB, as follows: -

o Euroquiz (Monday 11 May) o Donald Dewar Memorial Debate (Thursday 4 June) o Festival of Politics 2015 (Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August) o Business in the Parliament (Friday 30 October) o St. Andrew’s Day Debate (Monday 30 November) o Carol Service (Wednesday 16 December) o Consular Corps’ Burns Supper (Wednesday 20 January) o Trade Union Week (w/c Monday 15 February) o International Women’s Day (Saturday 5 March)

We plan to return to the SPCB with a review of all major events and exhibitions during Session 4, which will assist our future planning for Session5 onwards. Specifically, to ensure that these events continue to deliver public value, we will be carrying out an assessment of the value that they bring to the Parliament, either in public engagement terms or wider reputational benefit.

10. There will be 3 public exhibitions this year that have already been approved by the SPCB.

o The Incredible Power of Light (Wednesday 1 to Thursday 30 April) o Michael Peto Photography (Wednesday 22 July to Saturday 22 August) o World Press Photo 2015 (Wednesday 22 July to Saturday 22 August)

Events, Exhibitions and Public Engagement

11. In the development of the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme, the Events and Exhibitions Team works closely with colleagues across the Parliament in seeking to consistently maximise engagement and participation opportunities with the people of Scotland. To this end, the Team has taken on board the recent refresh in the Public Engagement Strategy. Increasingly, this will be the focus of the Events and Exhibitions Team. Indeed the team already has a strong track-record in collaborating with parliamentary teams in Committees, Outreach Services, Media Relations Office, SPICe, Visitor Services and Public Information & Publications.

12. Detailed below are some examples of this type of joined-up working.

13. The recent Older People’s Assembly allowed a platform for the Local Government and Regeneration Committee to take evidence for the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill; a number of speakers taking part in the Business in the Parliament event with the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee inspired a potential list of speakers who will be involved in the forthcoming Inspiring Young Women’s event, as did the recent Sikh Sanjog Duke of Edinburgh event. 14. The Events and Exhibitions Team has built on existing relationships to influence partners such as the Law Society of Scotland and the English Speaking Union (ESU) in freshening up annual events such as the Dewar Debate and the St Andrew’s Day Debate to engage with audiences who have not previously

3

engaged with the Parliament. For example, as organisers of the St Andrew’s Day Debate, the ESU are focusing on a new pilot in Castlemilk to encourage a broader range of school-children to participate in the debate. The Events and Exhibitions Team are actively working with the ESU to support the project through a preliminary additional debate held at the Parliament which would be brought to the SPCB for consideration later this year. The intention with these debates will to achieve a closer tie-in with parliamentary business. Resource Implications 15. As part of the recent budget planning round, the Corporate Events and Exhibitions budget for 2015-16 has already been agreed and approved by the SPCB. All direct costs incurred by the SPCB associated with the other events and exhibitions will be met by the organisers apart from Holyrood Rocks, if approved, as a partner the SPCB would be expected to meet additional costs of about £3,000 to pay for travel and accommodation for participants to ensure bands can participate from across Scotland. These costs can be met from budgets already allocated across individual lines in the Corporate Events and Exhibitions budget. 16. When pulling together the overall Programme officials have considered the impact of all these major events and exhibitions on parliamentary resources and building users and have reduced impact by working with Committees and partner organisations to manage the events and exhibitions programme proactively. The Team have also been proactive in combining incoming requests with research into the business driven needs of the Parliament. 17. The SPCB is asked to note that any event proposals that use the Debating Chamber are likely to involve disruption to the Public Guided Tours Programme, Member Private Tours, the Education Service and potentially public access although parliamentary events. Governance issues 18. A strategic approach has been taken to ensure that all of the proposals work towards the Parliament’s strategic objectives and meet the SPCB’s objectives for events and the top line objectives of the Parliament’s Public Engagement Strategy. The overall programme has been discussed and agreed by the Public Engagement Board. 19. An Equalities Impact Assessment has been undertaken and all equalities issues are considered in the early planning stages of each individual event and exhibition. Publication Scheme 20. This Paper can be published once all major events and exhibitions have been publicised.

4

Next steps 21. Once approved the Events and Exhibitions Team will take forward all the necessary planning and organisation for all the major events and exhibitions detailed within this paper; liaising with internal and external partners as necessary. Decision 22. The SPCB is asked to consider this Paper and its associated annexes and to agree:

22.1 the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme for 2015-16 as set out in

Annex 1; 22.2 the Scottish Communities Alliance Conference (Annex 2) and the

Community Recycling Network Scotland event (Annex 3) be taken forward as Member-sponsored events in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms;

22.3 the International Credit Union Conference (Annex 4) - if parliamentary

committee involvement confirmed and international speakers attending - take place in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers;

22.4 Holyrood Rocks (Annex 5) should be taken forward as a major event

and take place in an appropriate space within the Scottish Parliament; 22.5 the 7th Subsidiarity Conference (Annex 6) supported by the European

and External Relations Committee should be taken forward as a major event in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers;

22.6 a sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament (Annex 7) as previously

agreed by the SPCB should be taken forward at the Scottish Parliament with the first day in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers and the second day in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms; and

22.7 to decline A Tale of Two Cities exhibition (Annex 8) about the

architectural histories of Edinburgh and Nanjing as curated by RCAHMS, with exhibition designers Nomad Exhibitions and Nanjing Museum.

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS TEAM March 2015

ANNEX 1

Key: AC-Award Ceremony, CC-Closing Ceremony, Con-Concert, Conf-Conference, CR-Committee Room, DC-Debating Chamber, Deb-Debate, Din-Dinner, Exh-Exhibition, Fest-Festival, GL-Garden Lobby, Lec-Lecture, LG–Landscaped Gardens, MH-Main Hall, MR-Members’ Room, OC-Opening Ceremony, Rec-Reception, PD-Parliament Day, Sem-Seminar, TBC–To be confirmed

DRAFT MAJOR EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS PROGRAMME 2015-16

Date Event/Exhibition Type Location

April

Wednesday 1- Thursday 30

The Incredible Power of Light Exh MH

May

Monday 11 Euroquiz Quiz DC

Monday 18 Parliament Day: Edinburgh PD TBC

June

Thursday 4 Dewar Debate Deb DC/GL

Saturday 6 - Monday 8

Parliament Day: Orkney PD Orkney

July Wednesday 22 July - Saturday 22 August

Michael Peto Photography: politics in focus Exh CR

Wednesday 22 July - Saturday 22 August

World Press Photo 2015 Exh MH

August

Friday 14 to Sunday 16

2015 Festival of Politics Fest GL/CR

September

Monday 21 Parliament Day: TBC PD TBC

October

October International Credit Union Conference Conf DC

Wednesday 28 Poppyscotland Rec GL

Friday 30 Business in Parliament Conference Conf GL/DC

Saturday 31 Holyrood Rocks Con GL/CR

November

November 7th Subsidiarity Conference Conf DC

Monday 9 Parliament Day: TBC PD TBC

Monday 30 St Andrew’s Day Debate Deb DC/CR

December

Wednesday 16 Carol Service Con GL/MR

Monday 6 & Tuesday 7

Parliament Day: Fife PD TBC

January

Wednesday 20 Consular Corps’ Burns Supper Din MH/MR

February

w/c Monday 15 Trade Union Week Various

February Scottish Youth Parliament Conf DC/MR

March

Saturday 5 International Women’s Day Conf GL/DC

Wednesday 14 Commonwealth Day 2016 Rec GL

ANNEX 2

SCOTTISH COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE - OCTOBER 2015

Background

1. Officials have received an approach from the Scottish Communities Alliance to hold an event in the Debating Chamber in October 2015.

2. This proposal follows on from a successful event organised by the Scottish Community Alliance, ‘The Future is Local’, held in the Debating Chamber in April 2013. This event was an important landmark for the community sector bringing together over 220 delegates from the full breadth of Scotland’s community based networks.

Discussion

3. For the past 4 years, Scotland’s largest community-led networks have formed the Scottish Community Alliance with the aim of becoming better organised, better integrated and better informed about the collective challenges that lie ahead.

4. Scotland’s community sector is in the public policy spotlight as never before. The demands of the public service reform agenda as set out by the Christie Commission, amplified by the on-going pressures on our public finances mean that the voluntary and community sector will be required to face many new challenges in the coming years.

5. Since ‘The Future is Local’ event, four significant areas of national policy have been at the forefront of the community sector’s agenda and it is these that are proposed as the key themes for the proposed 2015 conference.

o Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act - the legislation will be newly enacted and there will be an emphasis on promoting and supporting communities to take advantage of the provisions of the Act. Part of the event will showcase the very best of what communities have achieved in relation to the various provisions contained in the Act and explore how these new powers might be used by other communities to their best advantage.

o Public service reform - the shift towards co-produced and co-designed public services is one that requires significant change in attitudes and culture on all sides. While there have been some significant developments within the social enterprise and large charity sectors in terms of laying the foundations for this transition, the community sector has lagged behind this process. There is no doubt however, that communities will have a key role to play in the future delivery of public services and this event represents an ideal opportunity to place public service reform in the wider context of community development.

o Land Reform - Scottish Government has committed itself to further land reform legislation before the next election. Some of the measures (contained in the final report of the Land Reform Review Group) are covered by the community empowerment legislation but some are not.

The land reform agenda is of great interest to many parts of the community sector and it will be a timely opportunity for an examination of these issues by the relevant community interests.

o Transition to a low carbon economy - the Climate Change (Scotland) Act

sets high targets for reducing carbon emissions and communities have been playing an increasingly active role in effecting the levels of behaviour change that is required. In 2015, the United Nations Climate Change Conference convenes in Paris for the most important climate change talks in a generation. These global talks require local expression and the on-going support from Climate Challenge Funding and the ESF’s new focus on low carbon behaviours using community led responses make this an increasingly important part of the agenda to build local resilience.

Aims and Objectives 6. The aims of the event are fourfold:

o To bring together approximately 210 delegates from Scotland’s 18 national community-led networks in order to reflect the widest possible range of the community sector activity in relation to the four themes as set out above. Approximately 40 delegates from public and private sector bodies will be invited to engage with this process.

o To reflect the shared interests running across Scotland’s community

sector and to illustrate the sector’s commitment to joined-up working in order to meet national outcomes.

o To showcase the best of the community sector’s achievements and to

raise awareness within national government and other public agencies of how communities are working to achieve national outcomes.

o To reflect the shift in key areas of national policy towards bottom up,

community-led responses to national challenges; holding the event in the Scottish Parliament building symbolises this new emphasis of national – local connectedness

7. The Local Government and Regeneration Committee do not propose to work

with the Communities Alliance on this event this year. Media approach 8. Given that there is no Committee link and that this is likely to be a Member-

sponsored event, there is no role for proactive promotional work. Resources 9. All costs associated with this event will be met by the organisers. Staff time to

organise this event will be factored into existing workloads.

Recommendation 10. This event has a programme that undoubtedly links into current political and

legislative themes, however given there is no link with committee work plans we do not feel that there is a strong case for recommending that this event takes place in the Debating Chamber. The Events and Exhibitions Team recommend therefore that this event is taken forward as a Member-sponsored event and that it takes place in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

Decision 11. The SPCB is asked to consider this proposal and to agree that the event

should be taken forward as a Member-sponsored event and that it should take place in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

ANNEX 3

COMMUNITY RESOURCES NETWORK SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 2015 Background

1. Officials have received an approach from Community Resources Network Scotland (CRNS) to hold their annual conference in 2015, ‘Choose To Reuse,’ in the Debating Chamber. This proposal is supported by Patrick Harvie MSP.

Discussion

2. As a community network, CRNS is working to redress the balance in what has become an increasingly throwaway society and in the past decade has evolved to become Scotland’s national re-use, repair and recycling charity.

3. The key to the success has been the C in CRNS, with community support across all 32 local authorities and 100,000 people involved directly in the work of the organisation. At a local level, unwanted goods are collected, repaired and made fit for use again. Not only is this providing excellent value items, it provides job opportunities for those working on the ground.

4. If a homeless person approaches their local CRNS organisation, they can get furniture, cooking utensils and even food to start them in a home. The average cost to a local authority if a tenancy is voided is £23,000 – that includes the cost of cleaning it, tidying it, getting it ready for a new tenant and of course, the time it can lie unoccupied. When people are placed in empty flats without furniture and utensils, the chances of voiding are much higher than if there is somewhere to sit, sleep and a kettle to make a cup of tea. For a cost of £200 to £300 to provide the basics, a tenancy can be much more stable.

Themes

5. The CRNS Conference – Choose To Reuse, will focus on the re-use, repair and recycling sector in Scotland. The work being done on the ground at community levels is central to the main government focus around re-use and repair. The conference will explore and discuss new innovations, best practice, and successful business models that are keeping pace within a new and constantly changing economic landscape – a landscape that is creatively circular rather than linear. The conference will:

o Engage with a network of thought leaders, practitioners, and sector leaders advancing dialogue and collaborative action on waste prevention and reduction.

o Discuss the emerging circular economy, and the resulting business opportunities.

o Hear about leading - and replicable - successes in the public, private and community sector.

o Participate in opportunities to advance national, cross-sector,

collaboration.

Format 6. The event will comprise of two plenary sessions, workshops, a market place

and an evening reception. Media approach 7. Media Relations Office believe there is little role for the media given the

recommendation as a Member-sponsored event. However, this could be increased if there was the opportunity to tie in with some of the environmental work the Parliament has done and recognise the challenging targets the Parliament has set and met. This could give scope to do work on social media tying this in with Parliament’s environmental achievements.

Recommendation 8. This event does not meet the SPCB criteria for Major Events but it could meet

the criteria for Member-sponsored events if the organisers agreed to develop engagement opportunities for Members. It is recommended that this proposal should be developed further and be progressed as a Member-sponsored event and take place in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

Decision 9. The SPCB is asked to consider this proposal and to agree that the proposal

should be developed further and taken forward as a Member-sponsored event in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

ANNEX 4

INTERNATIONAL CREDIT UNION CONFERENCE – OCTOBER 2015 Background 1. Officials have received an approach from John Wilson MSP with a proposal

for an event to take place in the Debating Chamber to mark International Credit Union Day which takes place on Thursday 15 October 2015. Officials believe, if approved, that it would be advisable to hold the event outwith October recess dates in order to engage with as many Members as possible.

Discussion 2. This event is proposed to tie in with the work of a working group that was

established by Fergus Ewing MSP former Minister for Energy Enterprise and Tourism. The purpose of the event is to look at the findings of the group and to establish an action plan to move credit unions forward.

3. It is proposed that the responsible Minister will bring a debate on the topic

before Parliament. 4. The credit union movement has gained momentum in Scotland throughout

recent years and at March 2014 there were 113 credit unions in Scotland serving over 355,662 members, of which 47,792 were junior savers. Scotland’s credit unions hold over £402 million in savings, with more than £261 million out on loan meaning that the Scottish credit union movement’s assets are worth £467 million.

5. The Scottish Government has been supportive of the growth of credit unions

and Scottish credit unions received a total of more than £1.3 million from the Scottish Government's Third Sector Enterprise Fund. There has also been a number of high profile Scottish Government campaigns aimed at highlighting the work of credit unions, which have aimed to demonstrate to vulnerable people the alternatives they provide to the banking system and pay day lending.

6. The annual International Credit Union Day has been celebrated in the Scottish

Parliament by a Member-sponsored event for the past several years and the Cross Party Group on Credit Unions remains popular.

7. It is proposed that approximately 200 delegates will attend the event. The

delegates will comprise representatives from credit unions. This would be the first time that larger and small credit unions will have come together to discuss the issues.

8. If agreed, officials would alert the Welfare Reform; the Finance; and the

Economy, Energy and Tourism Committees to the opportunity the Conference would present to Members in terms of maximising engagement with stakeholders on relevant strands of the Committees’ respective work programmes.

Media approach 9. The proposed Committee links mean there is scope for the Parliament to have

a strong media presence beyond simply being the venue. The event could provide opportunities for news coverage and be of interest to journalists in areas (such as Glasgow) where there are a high number of credit unions. Communication activities would focus on Facebook and Twitter but until the nature of the Committee involvement is confirmed, it is difficult to assess the overall media impact.

Resources 10. The staff resources to organise this event will be factored into on-going

workloads. The organisers will meet all of the costs of this event. The costs for this event will be met either through sponsorship and/or Scottish Government funding.

Recommendation 11. This event meets the criteria for Major Events in that it seeks to engage with

Members on current issues and it will also mark a significant international anniversary of International Credit Union Day. If parliamentary committee involvement confirmed and international speakers attending, the Events and Exhibitions Team recommends that this event should take place in the Debating Chamber, chaired by the Presiding Officers during October 2015 otherwise we would recommend that it is taken forward as Member-sponsored event instead.

Decision 12. The SPCB is asked to consider this request and agree if parliamentary

committees involved and that international speakers attend that the International Credit Union Conference take place in the Debating Chamber, chaired by the Presiding Officers.

ANNEX 5

ROCKTOBER AND HOLYROOD ROCKS - OCTOBER 2015

Executive Summary

1. Parliamentary officials have received a request from the organisers of Rock the House Scotland for the Scottish Parliament to support a Scottish-wide music competition for local bands, named Rocktober, and to stage the final of that music competition, Holyrood Rocks, at the Parliament on Saturday 31 October 2015. This event is supported by Anne McTaggart MSP and Ruth Davidson MSP.

2. Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks would involve Members participation in choosing a band from their region. Organisers propose conducting 8 regional heats, based on the 8 regions of Scotland. It is hoped that the heats would be financially supported by local authorities within each region in terms of venue hire and publicity.

3. The heats will take place during the month of October as part of the Rocktober festival of events. The winning band from each region would then perform at the Holyrood Rocks final at the Parliament. Organisers also propose booking an established headline act to the close the event.

4. Anne McTaggart MSP will host a Member-sponsored event in May 2015 to launch Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks.

Background

5. Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks are inspired by the current Rock the House competition established by Mike Weatherley MP, Member for Hove in 2013, to raise awareness of music copyright and music piracy among UK politicians. The annual event asks MPs to nominate a local band and culminates in an awards ceremony that takes place on the House of Commons terrace at the end of June each year, attended by music label executives, celebrities and media. Bands submit details via an app and this matches them to their local MP and the MP does publicity/social media with the band. Musicians can win guitars, free recording time in studios, slots at music festivals and an increased public profile and free publicity.

6. Rock the House Scotland was established in 2012 with Glasgow MP John Robertson as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music. Rock The House Scotland seeks to showcase Scotland’s diverse musical talent and raise awareness of the music industry’s copyright legislation. It is sponsored by UK Music, the lobbying body for the music industry. Rock The House Scotland 2015 will be launched at Oran Mor, Glasgow on Sunday 8 March.

7. The Scottish Political & Cultural Partnership (SPCP) chaired by John Robertson MP, has been constituted as an umbrella group, which will support the creative industries engagement with the political process. It is designated as one organisation providing two separate events to two separate parliaments. Organisers state that while Rock the House operates under Westminster control, with John Robertson MP as liaison, Rocktober and

Holyrood Rocks will operate under Scottish Parliament control with Anne McTaggart MSP as liaison.

8. Organisers stress that Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks aims to engage with young people with an objective of improving life skills such as personal confidence and communication, as well as improving awareness of employment opportunities in Scotland’s creative industries. They are keen to ensure the focus is kept on positive engagement and employment outcomes for participating young people.

Discussion

9. Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks would offer a platform for Members to engage with the Scottish music and creative industries and young people who are involved in making music in Scotland. Organisers expect a musically and ethnically diverse range of musicians to take part in the event.

10. The event would allow the Education and Culture Committee to further promote the national youth arts strand of its work programme and gain an increased pool of contacts within the creative industries that may benefit the Committee in widening its list of potential witnesses for future work programmes.

11. The event would draw a younger demographic of 16 – 24 year olds from a diverse range of musical backgrounds to the Scottish Parliament for a final battle of the bands type event, and could be used to maximise the interest and participation of new parliamentary audiences such as those established via the Inspiring Young Women event and Presiding Officer-sponsored events such as the Sikh Sanjog Duke of Edinburgh award ceremony.

12. The event will target young people from the 8 regions of Scotland, and if approved, the Events and Exhibitions Team believe this would present an ideal opportunity for various SPS teams (Public Information and Publications, Committees and Outreach, HR via the Modern Apprentice scheme) to have a visual presence during the Holyrood Rocks event to both promote and respond to any queries from young people about the Scottish Parliament and their engagement with it.

13. As a major event that engages with a younger audience the SPCB may want to contribute towards the overall costs for staging Holyrood Rocks at the Scottish Parliament. In particular, to ensure participation from across all 8 regions of Scotland. we would recommend the SPCB meets the cost of travel and accommodation (where necessary) for all 8 finalists performing at the event. It is proposed that the majority of bands would travel to and from Holyrood on the same day in hire vans paid for out of the budget in order to accommodate both musicians and equipment where possible.

Media Approach

14. This event provides an excellent opportunity for promotion. Given the nature of the competition, there is scope for doing a long term campaign, focusing locally on the competitors and perhaps following their ‘journey to the Scottish Parliament’.

15. The strong regional element provides a chance to engage with local media which could be done via news coverage and social media. For example, winning bands could be featured on the Parliament’s Facebook page. The involvement of the Education Committee would need to be clarified before any promotional opportunities could be agreed, but this could build on the work the Committee has done on the creative industries, and Time to Shine (which is involved in Rock the House).

16. Any legacy from the Inspiring Young Women conference would also provide

an excellent narrative for media work. Social media would be a key tool for the promotion of the event – for example asking people to vote or re-Tweet their favourite acts as well as posting images and perhaps videos of the bands. Once the format and the links to Parliamentary business are defined, a detailed media plan would be developed to promote the event.

Resource Implications 17. If the SPCB were to agree to the proposal, staff time to organise Holyrood

Rocks would be factored into existing workloads. Most of the costs associated with this event will be met by the organisers through sponsorship but as a partner in the event we would recommend the SPCB meet some costs including travel and accommodation costs for the 8 bands participation in the final to ensure participating from across Scotland. These costs are estimated at £3,000 and can be met from budgets already allocated across individual lines in the Corporate Events and Exhibitions budget.

Recommendation 18. This event would have very positive engagement opportunities for Members in

terms of building and cementing relationships both with Scotland’s creative industries and young people in their constituencies/regions. The event would further promote engagement between young people and the Scottish Parliament in attracting a young audience into the Parliament for Holyrood Rocks. This would further fulfil the engagement aims of the Scottish Parliament in raising the awareness of the relevance of the Parliament to the people of Scotland.

19. The Events and Exhibitions Team recommends that the SPCB support the

proposal to establish Rocktober/Holyrood Rocks as a separate event under Scottish Parliament control and with Anne McTaggart MSP as liaison but in partnership with the organisation Rock the House Scotland.

Decision 20. The SPCB is asked to consider this request and agree that the Scottish

Parliament as a partner be involved in Rocktober and host the Holyrood Rocks final event on Saturday 31 October.

ANNEX 6

7TH SUBSIDIARITY CONFERENCE – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Executive Summary

1. The Committee of the Regions (CoR) has approached the Scottish Parliament to request whether it would host the 7th Subsidiarity Conference in late November or early December 2015. This one-day conference is organised by the CoR on a biennial basis and was last held in the German Bundesrat in 2013. It is the largest EU event on the issue of subsidiarity and would bring together representatives from all of the EU institutions as well as Member State parliaments.

Background

2. The CoR has been active in relation to the principle of subsidiarity, particularly since it gained new powers in this area following the Treaty of Lisbon. Subsidiarity is a principle guiding the sharing of competences for policy and law-making between the European, national and sub-national levels. It is intended to ensure that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen and that constant checks are made ensuring action at community level is justified in the light of the possibilities available at national, regional or local level. Specifically, it is the principle whereby the Union does not take action (except in the areas which fall within its exclusive competence) unless it is more effective than action taken at national, regional or local level.

3. The biennial Subsidiarity Conference is a major event for the CoR. There are usually 130 to 150 participants, including about 40 Members of the CoR and representatives from other EU institutions and member state parliaments. The CoR organises the programme for this event and this year intends to focus the conference on subsidiarity monitoring and better regulation.

4. The CoR has indicated that it intends to invite European Commission Vice-President Timmermans (who has responsibility for Better Regulation), a senior representative from the European Parliament and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Luxembourg), and national and regional parliaments.

Issues and Options 5. Due to the size of the event, and the need to provide interpretation in a

number of languages, this event would need to be held in the Chamber. It is a one-day event that would ideally be held on a Friday.

Media Approach 6. Due to the specialised nature of this event, it is unlikely to offer wide

mainstream news opportunities. There is however, some opportunity for the European and External Relations Committee to continue to build its profile in promoting debate and raising the profile of European matters. The Committee has a strong social media profile and it is likely that some specialist and international media interest may be secured.

Resource Implications 7. The CoR covers the expenses of the speakers, the CoR members and the

interpreters. It asks the hosting parliament to provide the interpretation booths, lunch and refreshments. The total costs to the SPCB to host this Conference would be about £5,000. These costs can be met from budgets already allocated to the Corporate Events and Exhibitions budget (European and External Relations Committee has a budget of £3,000 for hosting an event on Europe Day, as Europe Day is two days after the General Election this year, it is suggested that the budget for this be reallocated along with £2,000 from budgets allocated to Committee events to cover the expenses of the Conference).

Recommendation 8. It is recommended that the SPCB approves this request to host the CoR’s 7th

Subsidiarity Conference in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament chaired by the Presiding Officers.

Decision 9. The SPCB is asked to consider this request and agree that the CoR’s 7th

Subsidiarity Conference take place at the Scottish Parliament in the Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers at the end of 2015.

ANNEX 7

SCOTTISH YOUTH PARLIAMENT – FEBRUARY 2016 Background 1. The SPCB previously agreed on 9 March 2011 that the Scottish Youth

Parliament could hold an event every two years at the Parliament making use of the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms and once a session hold a full sitting in the Debating Chamber.

2. The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) has approached the Events and Exhibitions Team to request the use of the Debating Chamber for the first day of their Spring Sitting 2016.

Discussion 3. The SYP is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people,

established in 1999 to help Scotland understand which issues are important to young people, and to campaign on those issues in order to make Scotland a better place for young people.

4. SYP is a wholly youth-led organisation, with decisions taken at every level by young people elected from within the membership. The 150 Members of the SYP (MSYPs) represent young people in every constituency across Scotland and 10 National Voluntary Organisations. They meet three times a year at national sittings to debate and vote on issues of importance to their constituents. Through this forum, SYP policy and national campaigns are developed, with the aim of improving the lives of Scotland’s young people.

5. The membership continues to be broadly reflective of Scottish society - 43% of MSYPs live in postcode areas from the lower percentiles on the Scottish Multiple Deprivation Index. The 150 MSYPs represent every local authority area and 10 voluntary organisations, from across Scotland. In the last year, SYP has raised the voice of young people by submitting 10 political consultations, giving oral evidence to numerous parliamentary committees and over 50 meetings were held with MSYPs and MSPs. [43% of MSYPs are female, 13% are of non-white ethnicity, 8% are young carers and 10% consider themselves to have a disability.]

6. The aim of the 2016 National Sitting of the SYP is to bring a powerful combination of skills and experience, to provide an opportunity to work with the Parliament to improve links between the organisations, and to demonstrate the connections between young people and their political structures.

7. The SYP are proposing to work in partnership with the Parliament to host the National Sitting in February 2016 which will bring young people together with MSPs and parliamentary staff, not only to discuss and debate issues important to young people in Scotland, but also to create space where people with different perspectives can work together to co-design new, creative solutions.

8. The SYP has held a number of events at the Parliament including a sitting of the SYP in the Debating Chamber in October 2010, where evidence was taken from the SYP by the Public Petitions Committee. The Public Petitions Committee again took evidence from the SYP at its sitting in March 2013 in the Members’ Room and the Committee Rooms.

9. The Public Petitions Committee has again expressed an interest in working with the Scottish Youth Parliament again at its sitting in February 2016.

10. The topics for debate by the SYP at the Spring Sitting will not be known until early 2016. These are decided through a 12 week selection process involving all 150 MSYPs and the Conveners’ Group.

11. This proposal meets the SPCB’s criteria for Major Events in that it encourages and develops public awareness of and engagement with the parliament and/or parliamentary process. In addition the audience for this event is young people; who are a priority under the Parliament’s Public Engagement Strategy. 43% of MSYPs live in postcode areas from the lower percentiles on the Scottish Multiple Deprivation Index.

Media approach 12. The event could provide an opportunity for news coverage and be of interest

to feature-writers, bloggers and magazine style broadcast shows depending on the topics the SYP debates.

13. Any resulting media coverage is likely to focus on Holyrood as the venue

although images of young people in the Debating Chamber have a strong potential to encourage other young people to see the Parliament as accessible and relevant.

14. The involvement of the Public Petitions Committee could result in coverage for that Committee, although that is difficult to assess until the nature of the involvement is clarified. Communications activities on the Parliament’s website, Facebook page and Twitter feed would also be possible. We would also expect reciprocal coverage on SYP’s outlets offering a wider reach. Plans would need to be discussed and agreed with SYP, who would be expected to lead on the promotional work for the event.

Resources 15. All costs associated with this event will be met by the SYP. The staff

resources required to organise this event will be factored into existing workloads.

Recommendation 16. This event fits well with the criteria for major events and exhibitions; it links to

the priorities of the Public Engagement Strategy and to parliamentary business through possible partnership with the Public Petitions Committee.

17. For all of these reasons, along with the previous agreement by the SPCB that

the SYP can use the Debating Chamber once a session, the Events and Exhibitions Team recommends that the first day of the 2016 Spring Sitting take place in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers. The second day should take place in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

Decision 18. The SPCB is invited to consider this proposal and to agree that the first day of

the SYP’s 2016 Spring Sitting take place in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officers and that the second day should take place in the Members’ Room and Committee Rooms.

ANNEX 8

RCAHMS: A TALE OF TWO CITIES Background 1. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

(RCAHMS), with exhibition designers Nomad Exhibitions and Nanjing Museum, have produced the A Tale of Two Cities exhibition about the architectural histories of Edinburgh and Nanjing. RCAHMS are looking for an Edinburgh venue for the exhibition following its display in Nanjing in 2013-4.

Discussion 2. The exhibition comprises material from Nanjing Museum and RCAHMS

collections including architectural drawings, large scale aerial photographs, Six Dynasties objects, Ming Dynasty objects and scrolls, Qing Dynasty map and scroll, Republic period objects, two multi-touch table interactives with historic maps and interactive photographs and an 8 minute film about Edinburgh’s architecture.

3. The exhibition was shown at Nanjing Museum from 7 November 2013 to 5

May 2014 where it was viewed by 1 million visitors. As a result of the partnership, the exhibition received an Arts and Business Scotland Award.

4. RCAHMS is looking for a public venue in Edinburgh and has a target audience of international visitors already or potentially visiting Edinburgh.

Recommendation 5. As the current programme for 2015-16 is already fully committed with three

exhibitions (The Incredible Power of Light, World Press Photo 2015 and Michael Peto Photography: politics in focus), we recommend that the SPCB declines this request. In addition, the target audience is not a priority under the Public Engagement Strategy.

Resource Implications 6. RCAHMS have advised that additional financial support would be needed to

bring the Nanjing objects to Scotland. There is a 6 month minimum lead-in time to request the loan of objects from the Beijing authorities.

Decision 7. The SPCB is asked to consider this request and to agree that we decline this

request as the Major Events and Exhibitions Programme 2015-16 is already fully committed.