 I'm just gauging whether we're all in our places, cos we're absolutely tight for time now. And if a five days on the front bench is this ready, I can start. The next item of business is a debate on motion 9789 in the name of Aileen Campbell on Glasgow 2018 European Championships. Can I ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to press the request to speak buttons now? And I call on the minister to speak and move the motion 9789, a very tight 11 minutes, minister, please. Okay, thank you, Presiding Officer. And I'm pleased to open today's debate on the inaugural European Championships, which take place in Scotland on 2 August this year. Presiding Officer, I don't know how often you'll hear this during 2018, but let me start this new year on a note of consensus and say that I agree with Anas Sarwar. I can confirm that we intend to support his amendment because it is important to recognise the achievements of the bid team and all relevant administrations in securing the Commonwealth Games and this year's European Championships. Those events have been the culmination of positive co-operation and collaboration between the Scottish Government as principal funder and Glasgow City Council with a shared focus on delivering excellence and establishing a formidable track record and expertise in hosting fantastic events. Regarding Brian Whittle's amendment, while we absolutely recognise the need to do more to get our population active and to reap the significant health benefits that brings, it is disingenious to be so wholly negative about the transformative impact that the Games in 2014 had. Hosting the European Championships this year is both legacy in its own right and an opportunity to develop and extend that legacy in all the areas that were delivered in 2014. Legacy that went far beyond sport, also bringing cultural, societal and economic benefit to the whole country. I want to expand on the issue of legacy later in my remarks. Presiding Officer, the Glasgow 2018 European Championships are a major investment for the Scottish Government and we are committed to ensuring that they are a great success for Glasgow and Scotland. The Championships provide a perfect opportunity to build on the legacy of other recent events and to showcase our nation and culture to substantial international audience. This new event will be an exciting addition to the sporting calendar, attracting some of Europe's elite athletes. Glasgow 2018 will give Scots another chance to see world-class sport on their doorstep. With a potential global television audience in excess of £1 billion, Glasgow 2018 is also a huge opportunity to demonstrate Scotland's best assets, including our events and tourism offering to the world. The European Championships are a new format event bringing together the existing European Championship events of six sports, aquatics, athletics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon, and introducing a new European-level competition in a seventh golf. Six sports will take place in Scotland with athletics in Berlin bringing an enhanced international flavour. Kezia Dugdale, sorry, your microphone is not on. Microphone please for Ms Dugdale. The minister will be aware that Scotland excels at cycling and that we have a brand new velodrome in Glasgow. She might not be aware, though, that the velodrome is banked at 45 degrees, which means that it has a minimum speed. If you don't meet that, you fall off. Does she accept that for Scotland to continue to excel at cycling, we need another velodrome that's banked at 30 degrees to help disabled cyclers and young cyclers of the future? Minister. I'm certain that we will always look to ensure that we can enhance our facilities, but I recognise the fact that the Commonwealth Games in 2014 allowed us to enhance facilities right across the country to enable us to have performance athletes in all sports. In fact, cycling, as I'll go on to say in my remarks, has experienced growth in terms of participation, but I'm happy to continue to engage with the member on this point. The intention of the championships will be held in a different host city every four years. Alongside the venues in Glasgow competition will take place across Scotland, including rowing and triathlon at Strathclyde country park, golf at Gleneagles and open water swimming at Loch Lomond. Scotland is well placed to contribute to developing this new concept as we are able to draw on the experience of successful partnership working that delivered the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Once again, the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council are working together to deliver a truly memorable event. An early success was securing the support of the European Broadcasting Union for Glasgow 2018, and that has led to a healthy media interest. The high profile of the new combined brand provides a great opportunity for Scotland and the seven sports to attract new audiences and interest. Presiding Officer, Scotland has a strong reputation as a host of world-class events. Our national event strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage, reaffirms our commitment to the delivery of a one-Scotland approach to building a strong and dynamic events industry. We produce a portfolio of events and festivals that deliver sustainable economic benefit and an enhanced international profile for Scotland. Glasgow 2018 will further enhance that reputation both nationally and internationally as a leader and innovator of best practice in event planning and delivery. Staging the championships provides Scotland with the opportunity to sustain and enhance the sporting, economic, social, environmental and cultural legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Glasgow 2018 will do this by enhancing physical activity access across Scotland, building international relationships across sport, culture and business, supporting local businesses, creating local job and volunteering opportunities and establishing business and cultural links with Berlin. The 2014 Commonwealth Games economic legacy was substantial. The post games analysis found that over eight years from winning the bid to hosting the event, the games contributed more than 740 million gross to Scotland's economy and supported on average 2,100 jobs each year from 2007 and 2014. Similarly, those championships are being delivered with the four eyes of our economic strategy in mind, bringing significant investment, being innovative in delivery, supporting inclusive growth and, of course, having an international focus. At the heart of the international focus will be the new Berlin Inevention and Investment Hub. Appointments have now been made to the hub and it will be a key play, a clear role in promoting cultural and trade opportunities between Scotland and Germany. The benefits of hosting the event of this scale of the European Championships will be seen across a broad range of local and national businesses, particularly in the tourism sector, which brings in spending of almost £11 billion per annum and supports an estimate of 217,000 jobs. Visit Scotland will, of course, boost this by promoting our famous Scottish welcome with working with partners to ensure that the spirit and the message of the championships and of Scotland more widely reach those who come to the event and those who enjoy the broadcast coverage at home or abroad. Presiding Officer, I am clear that the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games provided a substantial active legacy for the people in Scotland, creating both opportunities and infrastructure to enable individuals to engage and take part in physical activity and removing barriers to participation. This is evidenced by rises in participation reported by sports governing bodies. Scottish athletics experienced a 10 per cent increase in athletic club members in 2017. Scottish swimming membership has increased by 25 per cent over the last decade, and Scottish cycling membership was up by 21 per cent last year. Alongside that, we continue to invest to make sport and physical activity accessible to all regardless of background. We provided sports governing bodies with an additional £2 million to target work on equalities in 2017 and established a £300,000 sporting equality fund and the Women and Girls in Sports Advisory Board to drive female sports participation. We have protected the sports Scotland budget and provided an additional £3.4 million to mitigate reductions in income from the national lottery. It is important to also remember that 95 per cent of funding provided through Sports Scotland and local authorities goes to support grass-roots sport. Glasgow 2018 will build on that by aiming to inspire people who are inactive to be more active and supporting wellbeing and resilience in communities through sport and physical activity. The network of 181 community sports hubs in place across Scotland is a direct legacy from Glasgow 2014. They play a crucial role in encouraging increased participation in sports and physical activity by people of all ages and backgrounds. Today, I met participants from the community sports hub-based at Oriam, taking part in walking netball. People who, through the innovation of the hub and the governing body, are being reunited with a sport that they have once enjoyed and are benefiting from becoming more active and feeling a enhanced sense of wellbeing, a story that is replicable across the other 180 hubs. That is why I am pleased to announce funding of £500,000 for the community sport hub network, a competitive fund to be administered by Sports Scotland. Its aim will be to support additional activity, capitalise on the energy enthusiasm of Glasgow 2018 and encourage the inactive to become active, building on the positive work happening right across Scotland. Presiding Officer, no major sporting event would be complete without the commitment and enthusiasm of volunteers. Volunteers will play an essential role in the experience offered to athletes, officials, media and the spectators at Glasgow 2018. The huge number of applications to volunteer close to 10,000 is testimony to the enthusiasm and passion to be involved in the championships. Applications will receive from 89 countries as well as from every local authority across Scotland. People from a wide range of backgrounds will volunteer at these European championships, committing time and energy and involving our communities in this exciting event. 2018 is also the year of young people and one of the key themes is participation. The Scottish Government has been working with Young Scot to provide volunteering opportunities to some year of young people and ambassadors. Volunteering will undoubtedly prove valuable in building up the skills portfolios of these young people. The Scottish Government is also working closely with Glasgow 2018, Visit Scotland, local businesses and other partners to help to ensure that the European Championships is Scotland's most inclusive event yet, welcoming diverse communities from near and far. To help to achieve the same, I am delighted to announce that the Scottish Government is providing leapsport with a funding contribution of 20,000 to further boost the engagement of the LGBTI community in the European Championships. The funding will help to support a programme of events and activities that showcase LGBTI life in Scotland, championing rights and welcoming LGBTI visitors from across the world. To conclude, we are on the countdown with 203 days before the sporting action begins. I am confident that the 2018 European Championships will be an exceptional sporting spectacle, but I am also determined to maximise the legacy from these championships so that communities across Scotland can share the benefits from the event and ensure that the inspiration it provides is met with increased opportunity and support. Those championships have the potential to once again demonstrate that Scotland is a dynamic, welcoming and outward-looking country that is the perfect stage to hold events. Thank you. Could you please move the motion, minister? I move the motion. Thank you. I call Brian Whittle, so I speak to move amendment 9789.27 minutes. Mr Whittle. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I'm delighted to be opening this debate on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives. It's a fantastic achievement for our small country to continue its history of hosting major international competitions. From the hugely successful 2014 Commonwealth Games to the Ryder Cup, the European Championships, the World Bambamantine Championships, the Champions League final, the 2012 Olympic football group matches, as well as the World Gymnastics Championships to name, but a few. I, of course, go back a little bit further than that in having had the immense honour of competing in the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in 1990. Let me tell you that there is nothing like being a competitor in your own home country. It's hard to describe the wall of noise that follows you and supports you around the track. Your heart could just burst with pride. We Scots are indeed a passionate lot, and we love our sport, especially when it's one of our own that's in the arena. Now we have the European Championships in 2018 to let our appetite this year, not to mention the Solheim Cup with the World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2019. It's a veritable Schmorsborg of international class sport for our enjoyment and entertainment. And you can guarantee that every event will be full because we Scots, as I've said before, do love our sport. However, our support and our passion for watching sport excellence is not reflected in the state of the nation's health. Our issues with preventable health conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes and musculoskeletal conditions, chest heart and stroke conditions and many types of cancer, not to mention pro-mental health, are well documented and the incidence of many of those conditions continues to rise. When it comes to the basic solution, it is our relationship with physical activity and food that will determine whether we are successful in turning this unwanted trend around. The truth of the matter is if you are physically active as part of your routine, you are less likely to smoke, you are more likely to have a healthier weight, you are more likely to have a better relationship with food and alcohol and that regular participation with physical activity will have a positive effect on your mental health, as has been said by Sam H, Mental Health Scotland and even the Samaritans. So what we have in this place we have to address is how do we leverage a positive legacy in terms of the nation's health from events such as European Championships? We need to look at not just activity levels as was done in the Scottish health survey but ask the question if you are not active, would you like to be? If you would like to be, what are the barriers? What the health survey didn't show, for example, was a huge line in the waiting list at many sports clubs like athletics and gymnastics, even though their participation figures also rocketed up. Figures from Sports Scotland show many Scottish sports have registered encouraging membership increases during the four-year Glasgow cycle, including a 58 per cent rise in Nebul Scotland, which is particularly important given the demographic. There is a 49 per cent growth in Scottish triathlon and a 37 per cent increase in Scottish gymnastics. Actually, in total, there has been a 11 per cent increase in membership of the 17 Commonwealth Games sports governing bodies over the past four years. However, the Scottish health survey does not reflect this, nor did the investigation by the Health and Sport Committee in my opinion. Its focus was too narrow and therefore its subsequent conclusions gave us only part of the picture, which in turn makes it difficult to deliver long-lasting effective solutions. You see, Deputy Presiding Officer, it's not just about measuring the status quo. It's about understanding why current patterns exist. It's about looking at the socioeconomic participation patterns and looking at barriers to participation. It's about looking at what activities are available and accessible in all areas. When the best line I heard in evidence given to the Health and Sport Committee came from the chief executive of Scottish Athletics, Mark Monroe, when he said and I quote, you have to prepare for legacy. In other words, legacy from hosting major events doesn't just happen. We need to put in place the opportunities to participate and make access as easy as possible. I was thinking what about aligning, perhaps, the school curriculum with the upcoming sporting championships? What about offering extracurricular activities linked to that school curriculum? What about joining this extracurricular activity programme with local clubs using governing body input? What about actively encouraging volunteers and driving coach education? Because that is as much about participation as the sports participants themselves, linking physical education to physical activity to sport. We are talking about obesity strategies and mental health strategies. While in the real world, the access to participation is actually being ripped out of our local communities. We have fantastic world-class sporting facilities, for example, at Ravenscrag open in October 2010 and funded by public funds. In June 2011, the then First Minister, Alex Salmond, praised the facility, emitting that it will deliver a real and lasting legacy for Scotland and North Lanarkshire. Now, we hear that it is ripping up the 135-metre track without consultation with Scottish athletics, nor the users, nor the Scottish Government. We have Scottish South Ayrshire looking to close sports hubs in Trunynair, where incidentally clubs like the power chair football team, the Ayrshire Tigers train and play. That has been repeated across the country, including Ayrshire towns like Mabel, Panna and Domellentyn. We cannot keep ripping out access to opportunities by closing local facilities, centralising them and then complaining that activity levels are not rising, because the inevitable consequences that physical activity and sport will become the bastion for those who can afford to and are able to travel, and those who cannot will be left behind driving inequalities in Scotland. That is why we in the Scottish Conservatives will actually support the Labour amendment. The answer is in the face. Facilities need to be local, accessible and affordable. The school estate is all of that that continues to be underutilised. The opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities can and should be expanded for the whole variety of reasons. Improved participation in good physical and mental health being the main ones. Deputy Presiding Officer, the European Championships coming to Scotland is another great opportunity to showcase Scotland, to show how we welcome the world to our shores, to enthuse our people and deliver that intangible feel-good factor, that national pride. Celebrate the jobs that will create and the opportunities to get involved. For those reasons alone, it is worth continuing to bring these events to Scotland. However, there is so much more that can be achieved, especially where national health is concerned. Legacy is a difficult concept to deliver when it comes to participation. Many countries have tried and fallen short. That does not mean that it cannot be done. But we need to plan for it. Look at what Scottish Athletics did in the four years leading to Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the subsequent four years through their club-together programme that they invested in a club system, recruiting coaches and administrators, as well as athletes. Their numbers of active participants across all age groups and championships has rocketed. The huge successes in jog Scotland numbers, as well as their mums on the run, the jog-work programme should also be noted. Do you think that it's a happy accident that Scottish athletes on the international stage are now more successful than they have been in decades? Learn from them and other sports who've grasped the nettle and made it happen. Not just sport, but inaccessibility and affordable activities. In conclusion, the European Championship comes to Scotland is not the end game, it should be the start. I ask the Scottish Government to formally apply and it will actually deliver against healthy and active objectives that give opportunities to all irrespective of background or personal circumstance that recognise how to link these events with activity levels and strategies such as obesity and mental health. To do anything less, we must get my finger out of the opportunity to drift by. Thank you very much. I now call Lanna Sarwar to speak to move amendment 9789.16. Six minutes, please, Mr Sarwar. Thank you, Presiding Officer. First of all, I'll move the amendment in my name. I also thank the minister for bringing forward this debate and it's an opportunity for us to speak with pride about what Glasgow and Scotland is achieving. I must say, as a proud glass region, I'm delighted to be speaking in this debate today. Glasgow is one of the top 10 sporting cities in the world with credibility in the world of sport and a true destination city. Not just for world-class sporting events, but for culture and business too. A genuine success story of the transformation that can be achieved with the right vision and a drive to deliver the real change that the people of Scotland and Glasgow deserve. I think that it's only right, like the minister has already done, to pay tribute to the work of successive Glasgow Administrations, including individuals like former leaders of Glasgow City Council, Gordon Matheson and Frank Macavity. In particular, the deputy leader of the council at that time and the person who co-ordinated for Glasgow Life, Archie Graham, for their work in driving many of the successes that we see across the city. I should also put on record my thanks and congratulations to the bid team, as well as the delivery team for their hard work and effort. I'm sure that all that hard work will be rewarded when the games have passed and when the championships do kick off. It just feels like yesterday that we were watching the greatest ever Commonwealth Games take place before our eyes, not just in terms of fantastic sporting achievements, but the coming together of the city to deliver a huge logistical success. You only need to walk round the east end of Glasgow to see the transformation yourself, a lasting and genuine legacy in sporting stadia, new housing transforming the landscape and improving the lives of many at the same time. Transport infrastructure improved, a new school, a new community centre, a new health centre and thousands of volunteers proud to represent their city of Glasgow. The Commonwealth Games were not just a great piece of sporting excellence, but also a genuine vehicle for transformative social policy too, and all before a worldwide audience counted in the billions. Not just great advert for Glasgow, but a great advert for Scotland too. We are seeing the foundation laid in 2014 being built upon with those championships. Thousands of athletes and officials across six sports will arrive in Glasgow covering aquatics, golf, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and the triathlon. The championships will again deliver a feast of sporting excellence. I want to say, despite a degree of negativity from some about the value of hosting elite sporting events, that the championships and other similar events are in of their own right great things for Glasgow and for Scotland. It helps to boost the confidence of our people both in Glasgow and indeed across the country. The fact that world-class sporting events can take place in our home city, in our home nation is a thing of joy and pride for each and every single one of us. Events like these are also a good opportunity to establish trade links, profile on the city across the world and showcase all of the great things that Glasgow has to offer. It is right that the BBC will be giving it the big event status, meaning that we will have over 40 broadcasters as well as the BBC here in Scotland and in Glasgow and delivering an audience in the hundreds of millions. It is also an opportunity for us as a city to build closer trade links with Berlin specifically and Germany more widely. However, although all that is good, I want to raise not issues of concern but highlight areas that should be of concern to all of us about how we can get a genuine lasting legacy from both the games but also from the championships. I have mentioned the infrastructure, I have mentioned the housing, I have mentioned the increase in boost in tourism and in business, but how we get a long-term effect on poverty alleviation, how we get a long-term effect on participation in sport and how we get a long-term effect in terms of positive employment destinations. Although there is some evidence that there is an increase in attendance to Glasgow sporting programmes and increased membership, what we need to see is to conch into the numbers and see whether that increase in participation has actually happened in the most poorest backgrounds and communities in the country, and those that are most in need of added participation are actually accessing those facilities and actually participating as a result. I think that we need some proper longer-term analysis on that. I am short of time to Mr Whittle, so I have to say sorry, Mr Whittle. I cannot let you make it up, I am sorry, yes. No problem, so I apologise to Mr Whittle, I cannot take the intervention. I must say though, while I agree with many of the points made in both Mr Whittle's speech and also in his amendment, we cannot support the amendment in Mr Whittle's name, partly because we cannot remove the reference to the best-ever Commonwealth Games being in my home city of Glasgow, and I cannot help to think that perhaps because Mr Whittle was not competing in that one, he does not think that it is not the best-ever Commonwealth Games. The cynic in me may say that. So while I welcome a lot of what the minister has said, I think that we do need to see further analysis, as I say, on employability, on poverty alleviation, on participation. We need to look at how we can get more people particularly from working-cast backgrounds accessing the Games in particular. I would not mention more broadly, but I know of the time, about the cuts that the local government and the impact that has on sporting participation. I think that that needs to be reflected in the budget process, but in the last 20 seconds that I do have, I do want to again put on record my thanks to all those involved at all levels of government, whether that be the council, the Scottish Government, all the agencies, the bid team, the delivery team for putting the successful bid together, and I am sure that those successful championships together as well. I am sure that it will be another moment of pride for Glasgow and for Scotland. Thank you very much, Mr Sarwar. Open debate speeches of five minutes. John Mason followed by Annie Wells. Mr Mason, please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. 100 years ago just now, Glasgow and Berlin were on opposite sides of World War I. 75 years ago just now, Glasgow and Berlin were on opposite sides of World War II. So it is especially encouraging that, as we go into 2018, those two great cities are in such a friendly partnership, preparing to jointly host the first European championships, bringing together a range of sports under one umbrella which previously were completely standalone. I think that we found with both the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games that so-called minority sports, which often do not get so much support and publicity when they stand alone, benefit hugely from the increased coverage when they happen at the same time and are presented on TV as part of a package. I am especially delighted that a number of events are due to take place in the constituency of Glasgow-Shetleston which I represent, including swimming at Toul Cross, cycling at the Chrishoi Velodrome and cycling and cultural events at Glasgow Green. In fact, I understand that, on 3 August, all the finals held in Scotland will be in Glasgow-Shetleston constituency. I mentioned Glasgow Green and I welcome events happening there. It is a great space, it is near the city centre and it is readily accessible for public transport. However, if I can just flag up in passing to Glasgow City Council that we should not use Glasgow Green for almost every single event that we have in the city, it is still meant to be available as a public space for residents and there has been a tendency in recent times for it to be closed off more and more not just for an event itself but for the build-up and the clearing up afterwards. However, the motion that refers to the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and high-profile sporting events like this have many benefits, including, as has already been mentioned, raising the profile of Glasgow in Scotland, leading on to a boost of fur tourism and even business investment, tremendous entertainment for all of us in our doorstep, I think a boost for our self-confidence as a city and a nation and a lasting legacy and encouragement to get involved in sport. Now, I note the Conservative amendment focuses on legacy and I wanted to make a few comments about that. I do accept that having had the Commonwealth Games in the east end of Glasgow four years ago has not automatically turned everyone in my constituency into a super athlete. And some have questioned what legacy there has been. Well, I would just say a few things on that. Firstly, we now have some fabulous sports facilities right in our doorstep, the Emirates, the Velodrome, the Tollcross swimming pool and the National Hockey Centre to name a few. So people have the opportunity to use these facilities and also to continue to watch top-class sport there. We have also the Commonwealth Games village, which is providing some excellent housing, both owner-occupied and social rented. And this has drawn more house building into the surrounding area and now a new school is being built in Delmaroc as well. But legacy is not only about bricks and mortar, but it certainly includes bricks and mortar. The legacy of behavioural change is perhaps more of a challenge. And we always knew that that would be the case. I distinctly remember Bridget McConnell, who headed up Glasgow life at that time and still does, saying to us before the Commonwealth Games that no city had really cracked the legacy, referring especially to cities like Melbourne and Barcelona, which had recently held major games. So we always knew that this aspect would be difficult and so it has proved. But I have to say to Mr Whittle that a lot of effort did go in around the Commonwealth Games. He seemed to be hinting that it hadn't. If I just take hockey as an example, we now have a top-class international venue which now regularly hosts top events that we can be proud of. Hockey perhaps had the reputation of being played more by private schools, so that takes time to change as do all perceptions and traditions. And often it needs a teacher in a school who is really keen on a particular sport to take that forward. But that is the legacy or the vision that Scottish hockey is truly committed to. And if you meet their staff and their volunteers, you would be hard placed to find a more dedicated and enthusiastic group. So I'd suggest that parts of the legacy, including for the coming championships, can be clearly seen, but other parts are harder to measure. And while effort certainly has gone in, I do not believe that you can ensure that hosting such events will always change levels of physical activity, and yet the Conservative amendment uses that word, ensure. But all in all, Presiding Officer, I think that it is very exciting looking forward to this major event coming to Glasgow, and especially the East End, and I think that we can all look forward to a tremendous summer. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr Mason. I call Annie Wells to follow by Claire Baker. Ms Wells, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. What an honour it is for Glasgow that a new era of sport should begin right here in the city this summer. The inaugural European Championships are a key opportunity to once again showcase Glasgow's infamous hospitality, the warmth fits people, and a city that spirit is renowned across the world. Growing up in Glasgow, I was by no means a sporting prowess, but I was involved in a number of different sports, gymnastics, hockey, tap dancing, and in push came the shove, chalking up the streets of Springburn to create Springburn's answer to Wimbledon. What sport represented to me was not necessarily the opportunity to be the next Nadia Kominech or the next Jockey Wilson even, but an opportunity to be with my friends, get outside when I needed to, and energise myself with new challenges. And whilst I eagerly anticipate the wealth of new talent, the championships will no doubt inspire across the country, it is this renewal of grassroots sports and activity and community engagement, no matter how small, that I most look forward to as part of the longer lasting legacy. With around 4,500 athletes from across Europe taking part with a potential TV audience of over a billion viewers, interest in the event is high and I am extremely pleased to say that people across the city have already been showing their support. The championships have rightly continued in the same vein as the 2014 Commonwealth Games by recognising the importance of involving local people and incorporating the sentiment that people really do make Glasgow. As well as Festival 2018, a cultural event showcasing local art, music, dance and theatre projects across the city, applications for volunteering positions have been overwhelming. Over 10,000 people have applied from across the world to volunteer at the championships with a fifth of all applicants coming from people within the city itself. As well as an opportunity to once again shine a global spotlight on our city, which is known for its warmth and welcoming atmosphere, that is a real opportunity, as I have indicated, to reignite our love for sport and physical activity. As we all know, the positive effects of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow were undeniable. Across the city, we are peppered with reminders of great sporting events, colourful graffiti murals still cover city walls, and, in particular in East End, with the transformation of the former athlete's village, there has been real physical change. I have immense pride as a Glaswegian for what the city achieved during this time, but I do want to take the opportunity to ask that lessons are learnt from the past as we look to improve Scotland's health. The Glasgow Games, of course, inspired local events and initiatives, such as new walking routes, but as a health and sport committee reported last November, there has been no real evidence of an active legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games. As well as having one of the worst obesity rates among OECD countries, over a third of adults in Scotland currently don't meet the guidelines for moderate or physical activity, and for children aged between 13 to 15, that rate reaches nearly 40 per cent. I'm not wishing to sound overly negative. That is a positive event, and we should be doing our utmost to ensure that rates of physical activity in both adults and children drastically improve in the long term. Further more, while I'm absolutely thrilled to see that the championships mascot Bonnie the Seal is female, I would also like to hear from the Scottish Government at what specific action it will take to target social groups that we know are disproportionately inactive, such as women, ethnic minorities and certain age groups. Yeah, absolutely. Minister. I wonder if the member would acknowledge that the Scottish Household Survey showed that participation in all physical activity in sport has increased from 72 per cent in 2007 to 79 per cent in 2016. A significant population level shift also recognised the fact that we have established a £300,000 sporting equality fund and have established a women advisory group to advise us on what more we need to do to help women to participate in sport. Would you not recognise that? No, can I just ask? I'm sorry, interventions must be short, we're short of time. Oh, you're presiding off, but she acknowledged that work is under way. Well, I'll give you an extra third. That was a long intervention. An extra third is said, and there you go, Ms Wells. I do acknowledge that work, of course I do, but what I'm saying is we need to make sure that we don't just set things up for the creation of something. We need to make sure that we are actively targeting other groups as well. So to finish the day, I would like to show again my heartfelt support for the championships and the opportunities that will present to Glasgow and surrounding areas. What has been shown time and time again during the hosting of sporting events is that there's a time when people can really come together and celebrate a country's achievements as well as its cultural heritage. And as well as the opportunity that this provides for the inspiring and new raft of talent in Scotland, I sincerely hope the championships will reignite Scotland's love for sport and physical activity. And I look forward to attending the games and events and seeing the spotlight once again shine on Glasgow. Thank you. Thank you very much, Ms Wells. I'm sorry I have to be cut about interventions, but the time is absolutely tight. Claire Baker, to be followed by Bob Doris, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to take part in this afternoon's debate, not just from a sport, cultural and tourism point of view, but also as a regional MSP whose area we'll be hosting one of the events. Scotland's reputation for hosting world-class sporting events is not in doubt. From regularly holding the European Championships in St Andrews and courses across Scotland to the Commonwealth Games in 2014, we are a country that warmly welcomes fans and stars from across the world. In the past few years we have seen the Rider Cup, the world gymnastics championships, the world badminton championships and many high-profile football matches. As we prepare once again to welcome thousands to Glasgow and the rest of the country, we should be proud to be chosen as the inaugural host of the European Championships alongside Berlin. That such an event is centred but not limited to Glasgow is also something that I welcome, especially as golf will be taking place in one of our most iconic courses, the Jack Nicholas-designed centenary course in Gleneagles. I am sure that every golfer and every fan will enjoy the beautiful Perth and Kinross countryside and remember fondly the scenes of the Europe's Rider Cup triumph over the USA in 2014. With a potential broadcast audience of over £1 billion, we should look forward to highlighting the best that this country has to offer. One of the striking memories of the 2014 Commonwealth Games was of the Clyde Siders, the enthusiastic volunteers helping not just at the various sporting events but throughout the city. Without them, many of the events that took place in George Square and Glasgow Green, for example, would not have been the success that they were. It was these events and these volunteers that showed the heart of Scotland just as much as the rugby at Ibrox, the athletics at Hampton or the cycling at the Velodrome. It is through these interactions that Scotland was able to show what a friendly and welcoming nation it truly is. From a tourism point of view, the value of this cannot be underestimated. According to the visitor impact study conducted after the 2014 Games, almost 700,000 people visitors spent approximately £208 million attending the Games and accompanying cultural events. A quarter of a million stayed overnight with 220,000 visitors coming from out with Scotland. Overnight visitors from the rest of the UK spent, on average, over five days with visitors from outside the UK staying for 10 nights. The boost to our tourism sector is clear. Although the industry average spent for day visitors was £48 and £68 for those overnight, those that attended the Games spent £57 and £125 respectively. 95 per cent of hotel rooms in Glasgow and Clyde valley were occupied, 94 per cent of B&B rooms and an increase of 12 and 25 per cent on the same period compared to the year before. The impact was not just confined to the city and surrounding area. Self-catering occupancy was up 30 per cent in Ayrshire, 17 per cent in Aberdeen and Grampian and 20 per cent in the Borders, often providing an important boost to the rural tourism economy. Over the course of 2014, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, there was an average increase of 6.5 per cent on visitor numbers to Scotland from the year previous. The Kelvin Grove Art Gallery, the Riverside Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art and the People's Palace all saw a significant increase. The National Museum of Scotland was the most visited free attraction in Scotland and one of the most visited museums outside of London. And Edinburgh Castle was the most visited paid for attraction outside of London. So this year's championships will undoubtedly offer similar opportunities. George Square will once again be a thriving hub of activity, the centre of the games showcasing our country, our arts and our creativity. I look forward to the festival 2018 cultural partnership. I hope that this succeeds in broadening access and engagement in communities across Glasgow and Scotland. Yesterday, the chamber debated the impact of Brexit on the country. Festival 2018 is our opportunity to say that no matter what happens in 2016, what happens with the final Brexit deals, we are still European. A cultural festival that highlights the creative scenes of both Glasgow and Berlin is one that can highlight the best of Europe and the best of our talents. In 2014, many came for the sport and fell in love with the country, with our culture and our arts. We must now build on this, ensuring that we create a lasting tourism legacy in Scotland. Scotland and Glasgow is a fantastic visitor destination, a leading tourist destination and events such as the 2018 European Championships own the help to underline this and give us a chance to celebrate all that we have to offer. Thank you very much. I call Bob Doris. We're followed by Maurice Corry. Mr Doris, please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Can I start off as others have done by warmly welcoming those inaugural European Championships coming to Glasgow? It's a huge cue for the city and for Scotland at large, as indeed the 2014 Commonwealth Games was for our cities. A Glasgow MSP is something that I take great pride in. My constituency of Mary Helen Springburn has significant health needs and is impacted greatly by deprivation and health inequalities. Therefore, the matter of legacy matters deeply to me. There clearly has been a legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but we do have to ask the question who has benefited most from that legacy. That's a very reasonable question to ask. I warmly welcome the 10 per cent increase in athletics participation that Aileen Campbell mentioned in her opening speech on the 25 per cent increase in swimming, and I think that it was also 25 per cent for cycling also. That has to be absolutely imploddied in terms of increasing membership of clubs and participation in those areas. Like why he's over the recent statistics, on gym membership with 22 local authorities across Scotland seeing a significant increase in that gym membership in Glasgow, Glasgow Life had a 14 per cent increase since the Commonwealth Games. Those are real tangible signs of legacy, but we still have to ask the question who has benefited most from that legacy, not just the fact that there has been legacy. Of course, we want to know who has been joining the sports clubs. We want to know from what social backgrounds those people are from. We want to know is that the first sports club that we've ever joined or the swimming club and the barminton club, for example. That's important to know as well. We want to know do the gym memberships ever get used or, like me, do you buy them, subscribe to them, never use them and cancel them after a year or two. Those are important things to know as well. We need to know whether increased physical activity is people who are already physically active, getting more physically active or people who have never been physically active, starting to get physically active. Those are all reasonable questions to ask. None of that is a criticism. There clearly has been legacy. What we want to do is work out how we maximise that legacy in a way to get those that are least likely to be physically active, more active, and to get them starting on that pathway to sport and physical activity. To me, that comes down, actually, not to the large sports providers in cities and across the country. It's not about Glasgow life for myself and Glasgow, for example. They have an infrastructure there, yes, but it's about local credibility. As good as Glasgow life are, they don't have local credibility. Again, that's not a criticism. You have to ask, who are those people with credibility in our communities where people are least likely to be physically active? That can be the sports club sometimes and some of the volunteers were inspirational. I absolutely accept that, but quite often it's the youth clubs. So, in my constituency, it's North United communities in Maryhill and Springburn. It's Royston youth action. It's young people's futures and POSL. It's A&M Scotland that's now expanding, not just in Glasgow, but across the west of Scotland. They have real credibility with young people and their families who will watch the sports on the television, maybe with their kebab and talk about how great it was. But actually, those role models in the communities saying to these young people, let's give it a go. They will get people who are not physically active to be physically active. So, credibility is all important in the opportunities that we offer. But I want to actually talk about another group. Parent councils might just be a group that can really offer that local credibility. I want to specifically mention Mary's primary school, Parent Council, in Maryhill, who have no adequate sporting facilities within their local playgrounds. There's an old blaze pitch that's not fit for purchase. They are hoping to secure money for both the local authority and Sport Scotland to bring that to life. Some of the issues around that are, it's not big enough to be a 3G pitch and we're trying to find the work around there to link with the council's play strategy and a pathway to formal sport via Sport Scotland. And there might be, might just be funding available from the local authority and Sport Scotland, but it could be in danger of falling between two schools, two schools. And that would be disappointing because their vision is to have a new sports facility open in the evenings, using their community network of friends and colleagues and youth groups so that there's something special there. I would really love the minister, Aileen Campbell, to come along and find out a little bit more about the special plan that they have because I know funds, very small amounts of funds are starting to emerge, but funds that could give leverage to actually delivering some of these ambitious projects. So I'm very interested to know about the £525,000 fund I think that was mentioned as well as the £300,000 equality fund yes for women and for LGBTI but also for those from deprived areas. We need legacy, we need legacy that is deliverable for those who are least likely to be physically active in the first place. I'm going to have Maurice Corry followed by Alison Johnstone. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome today's debate on the 2018 European Championships which Scotland is rightly proud to be hosting in Glasgow. The opportunity to host international sport of the highest quality is always an exciting time and it creates a magnificent buzz in the country and indeed the city. And as this inaugural European Championships I'm sure that the buzz and excitement will be heightened even further. I'm sure we're all hoping that these championships create memorable moments, action packs, sporting excellence and engagement in the community as a commonwealth games did so well and so brilliantly and which I thoroughly enjoyed at the many events that I went to. On the point of engagement I'm glad to see that some 10,000 volunteers have applied to be part of Glasgow 2018 with applications being received from 89 countries including 7,000 from Scotland. It was also heartening to read that a fifth of the applicants were from Glasgow with 30 per cent being under the age of 26. It was always good to see young people in particular getting involved in events like this taking place in their area. Additionally I'm sure everyone is looking forward to cheering team GB on home ground as they compete in the aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon events being held here in Scotland. Nevertheless, we need to keep an eye on the continent as our athletes also compete for track and field events and success in Berlin. Of course, it's worth remembering that not just Glasgow is looking forward to hosting events this year. My West Scotland region looks forward to taking part as well with the Lacholoman and Trossics national park set to play host to the European Open Water swimming championships. It is a great opportunity for this part of Scotland to showcase itself to an audience of over one billion people across Europe. It is quite possibly unique in those championships for hosting not only world-class sport but to have it also set in some of the most stunning scenery in the world. In addition, the open water swimming event being a non-ticket event gives everyone in the local area and further afield the chance to come to our part of the country and see some of the world's finest athletes compete in their chosen sport without the worry of covering the cost of tickets. Hopefully visitors of the area will use the chance to see the many other options for things to do, places to eat and also the multitude of accommodation available so that they can make their stay a little longer. On the subject of ticket prices, when I appreciate a number of tickets that are available at cheaper prices for events and whilst looking at the website which I did for Glasgow 2018, it did seem to me that for most final events the prices increased substantially in contrast to the earlier rounds of competition. Whilst I understand the need to ensure that events are not loss making, I believe that it is incumbent on organisers to make sure that the barriers to attending sporting events are as low as possible. That is not just for the European Championships organised either, but for all those involved in organising sporting events in Scotland generally. Imagine if you were a parent wanting to take two children and open them to the wonders of that sport, in particular, can provide but then be denied the opportunity due to high costs. That is a lost opportunity not just for those children but for the sport too and in the long term it will have a damaging effect on lowering the number of the next generation who follow and take part in their sport. As a part of ensuring our future sporting success and health and health must be lowering the amount of costs to go and see sportsmen and women at the highest level so more of our young people get the sporting bug from hearing their heroes cheered on by thousands upon thousands of people are wanting to go on to emulate themselves. And indeed, as my colleague Brian Whittle quite emilyd put forward earlier on in his experience when he ran around those tracks in the years ago. Whilst of course not the full solution by itself I believe that this will help us fight the issues surrounding our children and our young people's health. When 29 per cent of Scottish children are at risk of being overweight and only 61 per cent of children age 13 to 15 are meeting physical activity guidelines anything that could help to encourage those children into sport must be supported. And in conclusion Deputy Presiding Officer I firmly believe that keeping the price of tickets lower so that more people can attend and view sport in Scotland should pay a part of that. Thank you. May I have Alison Johnstone to be followed by Tavish Scott? Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'd like to remind the chamber that I'm a director of Scottish athletics. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate today and I thank Glasgow 2018 for their briefing. In it they point out that Glasgow 2018 won't just be a celebration of world-class sport but an opportunity to build on the cultural legacy too if the 2014 Commonwealth Games and I too would like to thank all of those who delivered that truly great games. Edinburgh of course delivered world-class diving just a quick jog up the hill and we'll have that opportunity again in 2018. It's clear that hosting world-class events boosts our international profile, provides an environment in which we can forge new and strengthen existing relationships amongst athletes, spectators, organisers and indeed governments. And importantly, the forthcoming Glasgow European 2018 Championships will enable Scotland to develop strong links with Berlin and Germany, particularly welcome at this time. And this groundbreaking cultural partnership will benefit from dedicated festival funding. This is all really important but I'm now going to focus on the sport. As someone with a lifetime interest in sport I don't need convincing if it's many benefits but the challenges experienced by major global sporting events in delivering a meaningful legacy prove that for a complex variety of reasons sports as yet is not for everyone. And despite the Commonwealth Games Scotland has yet to become as active a nation as we would all wish it to be. And the health and sports committee our report on sport for everyone found a mixed picture on the attempt to achieve an active legacy from the Commonwealth Games to date. Our understanding of an active legacy must be focused on long-term sustainable increases in participation in sport and physical activity and just over three years on from the Commonwealth Games we have every reason to build on the great work that has already been done to ensure that new facilities and sporting infrastructure are all used to the greatest public benefit. These European championships are an excellent opportunity to build on efforts in Glasgow and across Scotland to increase participation. They'll showcase a wide range of sports from swimming and diving to cycling and gymnastics. And as a committee much of the evidence we heard reflected on the priority that should be given to elite sport in efforts to improve sport in Scotland. I believe that high-performance sport has an incredibly important place. International competitions bring exceptional athletes and players to our cities. They inspire, they excite and they enthuse thousands of players and supporters across the country. And there has been a particularly significant increase in participation in athletics since the Commonwealth Games and the European championships are an ideal opportunity to build on this. However, as others have said, when we consider legacy, it's vitally important to look beyond headline attendance figures at sports facilities and sports development programmes. We must consider who is attending and what benefits they gain from taking part in sport and exercise. How many people never reach their potential because they don't have the opportunity to try a sport that would appeal to them? Or their family income means they can't afford access to clothing, equipment, facilities? Try and book an indoor tennis court in Edinburgh this evening, for example, for juniors or even for next week. If you can find a vacant court, you will appreciate that for too many families the cost is prohibitive. As discussed previously, the sport for everyone inquiry found that there are many significant barriers to participation from the cost of taking part, difficulty accessing suitable facilities to caring responsibilities. So it's crucial that further assessments of participation consider how sport and physical activity can be made more accessible to women, to LGBT people, to older people, to minority groups and to people living on low incomes. An accessible low maintenance outdoor velodrome at Huntershall would demonstrate such a commitment and I'd be grateful if the minister could respond to that request. In this year of young people, play 2 can't be overlooked when building physical literacy, challenging playgrounds and outdoor wear accessible to all so that indoor breaks become a thing of the past. Those all form part of a serious sporting legacy. We know too, Presiding Officer, there's a huge gap between the life expectancy of people with mental health conditions and the general population and that much of that may be related to physical health. So I'd like us to act to make sport and physical activity more accessible to people with mental health conditions. I don't think that's been a big enough priority of ours in the past. The evidence is there. The collaboration between Jog Scotland and SamH is a fantastic example of an accessible way into low impact, affordable exercise that brings physical benefits but also builds social connections and support between participants. I realise that I'm running out of time and I'll finish off by making a plug for exercise to in the outdoors. Scotland has great outdoors. Let's make sure that we make that part of our sporting legacy too. Thank you. I call Tavish Scott to be followed by Sandra White. Can I assure Alison Johnston that I'll walk home tonight on that basis? Presiding Officer, there should be any indication of the power of sport. It is that North Korea and South Korea managed to meet yesterday to discuss the winter Olympics going to take place in South Korea next month by shaking hands rather than doing anything else. Now in this world of contact sport that is Scottish politics, I don't think that there's nothing comparable but it did strike me in the context of this very welcome debate that the ministers introduced this afternoon that sport has power quite unlike any other aspect of life to generally lift sites and to make things happen which otherwise don't seem at all possible. I agree with Maurice Corry that the Glasgow Championships will indeed bring a buzz not just to the city but to Scotland and on the basis of what many of us enjoyed in 2014. That can only be good and Alison Johnston made a powerful observation. I too agree about high performance athletes and the importance of what they can do in terms of leadership and ambition for many people in different walks of life and across different sporting regimes. How many of us after all at the moment are watching Andy Murray's hip recovery with very close interest indeed? The minister made two welcome financial announcements if I caught her remarks correctly this afternoon one on LGBT and the other one on community sports hubs. I'm looking for a third one this afternoon and that's on the island's travel fund which I have been asking her and indeed her predecessor about for some considerable time. She knows this argument well I know she's entirely sympathetic to it and I'm very grateful to the work that Sports Scotland and to the local authorities in the islands have contributed to this area. And the argument is very simple for the performance athletes that come from the islands for those who are competing and need to improve by taking part in events that Mr Whittle used to be part of. They need to compete against the best and that for people who live 180 miles away in the North Sea and need a night away if not two nights away means costs that others simply don't face. And that was the pitch made to Government and to Sports Scotland some time back very sensible and constructive pitch and I hope that in the context of the funding that she announced today for Sports Scotland the additional funds that she was able to find for that important organisation in the budget round and I welcome that that she'd also be able to find some ability to introduce the islands travel fund that many have indeed been looking forward to. Aileen Campbell to continue to keep them updated because Sports Scotland are currently having discussions with the local authorities that are most impacted Westin Isles, Orkney and Shetland over how a potential travel scheme will work and I'll continue to keep them updated on the point that he makes well. Tavish Scott I'm grateful for that it's a case of bringing that to fruition I think we'd all be very grateful for. The second point I wanted to make was actually on the lottery because many of the aspects of sport that many colleagues have discussed this afternoon in the chamber relate to funding both for coaching which is the part of the part of the system that appears to me to be hugely important both in terms of voluntary coaching and professional coaching for participation. And as the as parliament knows the biggest challenge we have at the moment and the minister mentioned it in the context of her budget for sport in Scotland is the reduction in funding that's come from the national lottery for good causes that which has been reduced by some 14 per cent between 2015-16 and 2016-17. Lottery funding of course makes up 40 per cent 40 per cent of sport in Scotland's total income and the fall therefore in funding has very serious consequences indeed. What I'd ask the Government to do is to look closely at the representations that I'd be understanding being made on a cross-party basis in London to the UK Government over changing the regime there over the turnover limit that applies to charity lotteries. That appears to me a good argument if that turnover limit can be raised so that the many separate charity lotteries who would provide funding in this area for sport and for other good causes were able to do that. At the moment many are limited by the turnover limit which means that they are setting up separate legal charity lotteries with all the administration accounting and other costs that go with that. Now there's a new culture secretary John Hyslop's opposite new number down in London Matthew Hancock and I'd encouraged our Government to make representations there that I know are being made on a cross-party basis including by Conservative members to change that system to enhance that system. I don't think that that's a challenge to the existing national lottery rather it would potentially augment the funds that are available for sport not just in Scotland but of course in Wales, Northern Ireland and in England as well. I hope that can happen Why is that important? Because as the director of UK coaching said to me the other day the principle of how coaching works in Scotland and indeed across all the nations and regions of the United Kingdom is funded and supported in that way. It would make a difference. It would be important for this debate and I hope that it can happen. I call Sandra White to be followed by Miles Briggs. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I must say that it is a real pleasure to speak in this debate recognising the important contribution that events such as Glasgow 2018, European Championships makes to Glasgow and particularly my home city and my Kelvin constituency as well where, like John Mason's and others, lots of events are taking place and I'll touch on that shortly as well. It's not only Glasgow obviously that benefits Scotland as well and it's not only internationally but it's locally and really I'm really so proud that my home city Glasgow will host this prestigious event building the legacy of 2014 Commonwealth Games, the best games that has been called, showcasing our beautiful and vibrant city and of course our fantastic friendly people living up to the saying people make Glasgow and they truly, truly do. And when I want to mention the continuing 2014 legacy, others have mentioned about sports membership. There has been a 13.7% rise in membership of the Glasgow club and one that was raised before in regards to community sports hub there's 179 community sports hubs at the moment up and running. That's a legacy from the Glasgow 2014 it's not just in Glasgow it's throughout Scotland as well and I think that that has to be welcomed in and looked at, as others have said, to try and improve on that as well. And we also have to look at the 40% increase overall in women across Scotland taking part in numerous sports such as football, hockey, rugby and basketball and I think equatics is another one as well, swimming also and obviously the sporting is very important but also the economic benefits indeed it's no coincidence that the premier in figures show that more people have booked holidays in Glasgow this year alone than any other part of the UK. That's not a plug, that's just to say it shows you the economic benefits that's coming forward for Glasgow and obviously Scotland as well. Now I just want to, as I was saying, there's an Olympic gold medalist called Max Whitclock. He said that Glasgow crowds are the loudest he has ever experienced and I expect there will be even louder when the world class gymnastics returns to the SCC hydro in my Kelvin constituency for eight action packed dates. We would also host in the constituency as well along with Glasgow green and John Mason's constituency European cycling championships road races the starting Glasgow green the weave all its way through the city centre and they go out in the surrounding countryside as well and I think that's absolutely fantastic and having experienced it previously Glasgow city centre and the surrounding areas host lots of cycling races as well it's a fantastic sight to see that brings so many people into the city. The time trail will start from the riverside museum also in my constituency of Kelvin and it goes through the city centre and also the surrounding countryside as well. Staging the road races in the city centre it really does provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase not just the cyclists and the people of Glasgow as well but also the city to a huge massive tv audience across core European tourist markets now that is absolutely fantastic but there's one issue I did want to raise and it's been raised I think once or twice but I think it's really important modest core is not going to be here at the moment but I did want to intervene talking about young people and the cost of the tickets I'm really really pleased that our young people will be at the heart of Glasgow 2018 we will be offering 50% discounts on all ticket prices to young people and many more events will be completely free as part of Scotland's year of young people and I think we really need to remember that that is fantastic and I hope our young people will take up that opportunity and I look forward perhaps speaking to Morris Corry afterwards in regards to that and over a short of time so I'll try and cut it short finally Presiding Officer George Square will actually be at the heart of festival 2018 and it's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the championships but it's also linked closely in the same month to the Merchant City Festival now that is a fantastic opportunity and I think it's great that they're linked so close together because not only will we showcase the cyclists and obviously they celebrate world-class sports and the fantastic cultural and creative opportunities Glasgow has to offer very proud of Glasgow region very proud MSP of Kelvin constituency which will be hosting many of these fantastic events and I look forward enormously to enjoying it as much as I enjoyed 2014 thank you very much Presiding Officer we have run a bit short of time so I'm having to cut down the time for the remaining open debate speeches to four minutes Miles Briggs pleased to be followed by Richard Lyle thank you Deputy Presiding Officer and I'm pleased to speak in today's debate and like other members I very much welcome the fact that the first ever European Championships will be held in Glasgow along with Berlin this August as other members have already said this is a significant boost to Glasgow and Scotland's profile and reputation as a host destination of choice for major sporting events the BBC and European broadcasters have already put in place large-scale broadcast plans and it's believed that audiences as have already been said of more than a billion people across Europe and the globe will be able to enjoy all the action from championships in Glasgow and across and in Berlin and the income that games will bring to thousands as thousands of athletes and competitors from all their associated media as well as support services converge here in Scotland will also I think be a welcome boost to our Scottish economy the minister didn't mention the Commonwealth pool hosting an event but as a Lothian MSP I'm personally delighted that this is taking place and as what has been happened at the successful Commonwealth Games in 2014 the diving competitions which will take place at the Commonwealth pool here in Edinburgh I think will also show how what we have to offer to these games here in Edinburgh I booked my tickets online this morning ahead of this debate so that they don't sell out inside of information that we might have as MSPs and the commie pool here in Edinburgh is a great asset to the capital and Scotland and local people I know have benefited from the upgrade of that facility ahead of the 2014 Games which means it's able to host world class sporting and swimming and diving events and competitions as has already been mentioned by Maurice Corry and Sandra White and following on from this in what is the year of young people in Scotland I want to today urge ministers to go the extra mile and their agencies to ensure that as many school children across Scotland as possible are able to benefit from these games at both primary and secondary level and they are given the opportunity to enjoy the competitions I'd be interested to learn more from the Government what complementary tickets will be made available to schools and youth groups so that they can be inspired and take part in the opportunity to attend the championship games and watch the exciting competitions for free and become inspired by the live performances of so many top level European athletes The championships are also a fantastic chance for our young people to be spectators and as Tavish Scott who's not in the chamber at the moment has said I think it's also important to look at some of the transport arrangements for school pupils from Scotland's rural and island communities to be able to attend the games and I hope further progress will be made in that as we've heard I'd also think it would be helpful for ministers to set out their plans to ensure that children are at the heart of these games and I look forward in closing to hear more on that After every major sporting event it is important that we do take stock and as we did with the Commonwealth Games we need to look at the legacy impact which these have on our sport, on physical activity and health levels and I think Bob Doris actually made an excellent speech today and had some really good points to make on that as Brian Whittle's amendment actually makes clear today the Parliament's Health and Sport Committee has found very little evidence of an active legacy from 2014 Commonwealth Games despite the high hopes that it would encourage more Scots to become active participants in sport by the demonstration and inspiration of success by elite sportsmen and whilst we accept the games left a positive physical legacy in terms of infrastructure and new facilities clearly much more has to be done and needs to be done to ensure that opportunities presented by major sporting events can encourage more people to begin and participate in sport and I believe helping our youngsters to be able to watch these games can play an important part in this as we try to build a healthier and more active nation. The Commonwealth Games are rightly praised for the number of highly positive and the contribution which the volunteers made in assisting those and the European Championships which will present 3,000 volunteering opportunities I think we'll also have a great opportunity to do that and I very much welcome the fact that over 10,000 people have already shown an interest. We also need to consider how we can support the retention of these volunteers in terms of getting them involved in community sports and activities in the future and to conclude Deputy Presiding Officer can I welcome today's debate all of Scotland will want to get behind these games and finally can I wish all the athletes which will be part of Team GB the very best and a successful European Championships I have Richard Lyle please be followed by James Kelly Thank you Deputy Presiding Officer I'll try and speak to the motion not ask for more money and try to be in on time this indeed is an event to look forward to with Glasgow and Berlin hosting the European Championship marking exciting era and multi-sport events bringing together some of the continent's leading sports including the existing European Championships for Athletics Aquate cycling gymnastics rowing and triathlon with the new golf team championship of course it may have not escaped members' attention that I'm not a Glasgow MSP I am no less excited about the upcoming games both for Glasgow but of course my area too and once again it will be explained in a minute Mr Mason again Strachly part shall play host to this European event part of Strachly part is in my constituency Glasgow and surrounding areas have made clear time and time again that it's up to the challenge of hosting major international events including world-class sporting events the amazing successes of Glasgow 2014 commonwealth games where we saw the largest city making even more vibrant with 71 competing nations and almost 5000 athletes taking part in 17 different sports and of course utilising 13 venues across the central belt here's where it comes Mr Mason in my constituency of course I'm privileged to represent Strachly part a part which I never tire of championing in this chamber particularly as I was born there in the now former Waddlehawk village which the park sits on yes I was born in the park Mr Adam Members may be interested to note that it's a park to receive thousands of visitors each year which take part in a huge range of activities including sailing, football, water skiing and of course Scotland's theme park one of the best fun fair parks in Scotland and for those into their music in 1994 it was also the first ever venue for teen the park with performers including Bluh, Paul and Oasis I'm sure Mr Mason will remember them well of course the performers this year in 2018 at Strachly part will include some of the approximately 3000 participants of the european championships at Strachly part which will play host to the rowing and triathlon events building of course on the existence success having hosted the commonwealth games triathlon event in 2014 what a success that was I know that all my colleagues from Lanarkshire constituencies will be delighted to have Strachly part playing its part and hosting of Glasgow's european championships with the games being broadcasted to an estimated 1.3 billion television viewers around the world it will once again put Glasgow and Scotland on the international sporting map naturally Lanarkshire is one part of this wide reaching multi sport event with the royal commonwealth pool Loch Lomond, Toul Cross, ScotStone, Cathgenbraze, Sir Chris Hoy, Velodrome, Glen Eagles and of course the SEC Hydro all being utilised showcasing the wide range of venues available in Scotland not only will the european championships be an opportunity to showcase venues places and spaces within Glasgow and surrounding areas it will deliver an extremely important opportunity naturally within the Lanarkshire event we can look forward to welcome not only 3,000 participants from all over the continent but of course many of our friends and neighbours in the european nations who will show visit Scotland in their championships I'd like to conclude Presiding Officer by stating I hope all those who visit the championships will enjoy Glasgow enjoy Lanarkshire enjoy Scotland Scotland thank you James Kelly to be followed by Clare Hocky thank you Deputy Presiding Officer it gives me particular pleasure as a Glasgow MSP to take part in this afternoon's debate looking forward to the events of the european championship of 2018 we will doubt that it's a fantastic opportunity for the whole country not only to witness these events in Glasgow and throughout the country witness in top athletes competing in their country and experiencing the buzz that top sporting events give spectators but it also brings clear economic and sporting benefits to the country and we saw that in Glasgow in 2014 with the increased number of visitors coming in to the city with the economic growth at that time that was caused around the games and just to share excitement and you know verve and energy that the event brought in 2014 there's no doubt that there's there's always an element of this debate looking back to 2014 and looking forward to next year and we're right to celebrate the legacy of 2014 in terms of the sport and success and also the infrastructure I recently ran along the Clyde the length of the what was the commonwealth valley site and it's quite amazing to see the extent of the housing there and how that area has actually been transformed particularly in the last 10 years as a result of the games being held in the city so there are real benefits and advantages there however I think one of the issues that's run through this debate has been one about participation levels and there's no doubt that one of the issues coming out of the commonwealth games is that there's mixed evidence around participation levels the recent report from the health and sport committee showed there hadn't been any dramatic increase at all in fact there's been a decrease in some areas in relation to participation levels although it's great to see in terms of Scottish athletics and I see this in terms of my local club Cambus Langharia's increased number of people turning out to train if you actually look at the household survey that the minister quoted in Glasgow alone that is the participation has decreased to 73 per cent which is the lowest level in seven years I think Bob Doris made a really relevant point about who actually benefits from the legacy and from the games being held and you can actually see and again in the Scottish health statistics survey that in the least deprived areas participation rates are 80 per cent but in the most deprived areas it's 57 per cent there's clearly a real challenge for all of us in the chamber to try and overcome that because again bringing it on looking at the levels of people who are overweight in the country at 65 per cent and obesity levels at 29 per cent there are real challenges which we haven't been able to turn round in the time since the commonwealth games I think some of the issues that can be addressed to meet those challenges are further promotion of the daily mile greater use of the school of state you know even just in my local area I know there are contractual issues but quite often schools lie dormant over the holiday period and we don't make the most of those facilities we're coming up to consider the budget and local government funding is going to be key to that if we really want to drive up participation levels we need to properly fund sport and we will need to encourage more employers to have more gyms on their facilities our training facilities on so let's celebrate the upcoming events but look at the issues that can move participation forward the last contribution in the open debates from Claire Hawkey thank you Presiding Officer Scotland has a long standing and proud reputation for being one of the true sporting nations of the world famously Scotland is the home of the Highland Games the birthplace of sports like shot put, shinty and curling and of course we are the home of golf while sport is woven through all aspects of our society right across the whole of our country the sporting capital of Scotland is indisputably the city of Glasgow as witnessed four years ago when Glasgow showcased the commonwealth games to the world it's the city which is unsurpassed in hosting major sporting events Presiding Officer the success of the 2014 commonwealth games proves that Glasgow is the perfect choice to co-host this year's inaugural European Championships alongside Berlin to coincide with the European Championships a festival will be held in the city as we've heard to bring together residents and visitors to celebrate Scottish culture ensuring that the first two weeks in August will be a standout feature of Scotland's offering to the world this year clearly Glasgow 2018 will bring significant social and cultural benefits however it is also an occasion to enrich Scotland's economy and public health unlike the majority of the other members participating in today's debate my constituency does not fall within the boundaries of Glasgow city and nor will it host any of the events held out with the city nevertheless I fully believe that Glasgow 2018 will considerably benefit the people of Rutherglen four of the venues for the European Championships are all found within five miles of my constituency office so Rutherglen is perfectly placed to welcome visitors and they would all be very welcome to sample the sports on display and to enjoy the atmosphere created the benefits to Glasgow from holding such global events is undeniable however I hope that neighbouring communities can take advantage of the positives it will bring to according to the post games report into Glasgow 2014 the commonwealth games contributed more than 740 million pounds to Scotland's economy of which 390 million pounds benefited Glasgow itself as such a staggering 350 million pounds was pumped into the economy elsewhere across Scotland and one can suspect that a large proportion of that was seen in nearby areas if these championships can create a fraction of the buzz and vibrancy that the commonwealth games brought to Glasgow and the surrounding communities in 2014 then I will have no doubt it will be a resounding economic and sporting success as is common with the hosting of major events new venues were built and others seen major investment during the Glasgow games in 2014 for my constituents the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in particular which is just over the boundary and neighbouring Glasgow Shettleston constituency has been a welcome local addition due to its extensive and modern gym and football facilities the velodrome is proof that the purpose-built sports venues can have a long lasting effect if effectively managed as well as the specific venues built to be used in the 2014 games the Scottish Government also established 179 community sporting hubs which have helped around 150,000 people participate in sport and physical activity when I was a member of the health and sport committee I visited several of these facilities and I experienced first hand how they have benefited their local communities as a direct result of the legacy of the commonwealth games there are now more opportunities for people to participate in a range of different sports and activities and I hope that the European Championships act as a renewed impetus to get more people into physical activity Scotland has been recognised internationally as leading the world on strategies and policies for increasing rates of physical activity however we can't get complacent and we must continually build on our success and the best legacy of the common the European Championships can leave is that it will inspire people in our country to live healthier and more active lifestyles and once again ensure that our visitors come back to Scotland Before we move on to the closing speeches can I remind members that the Presiding Officer expects the courtesy that people stay in the chamber for at least two speeches after their own contribution has been made We move to closing speeches and I call David Stewart six minutes please Thank you Presiding Officer and this has been in my view an excellent and mainly consensual debate with I believe well informed and passionate speeches from across the chamber and it's my personal pleasure to take part in such a debate as my first in the new labour sport and health team and I want to start by congratulating successive administrations of Glasgow City Council for their work on securing and preparing for the European Championship later this year The important theme I think of this afternoon to me and most speakers mentioned this is legacy continuing on from the groundbreaking work of the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow on 2014 and of course the wider picture is ensuring that proper investment helps alleviating poverty and poor health not just across the city but Scotland as well and of course investments in the infrastructure is crucial in roads and stadia and in housing that will enable events to take place will be a great benefit to Glasgow and the rest of Scotland as well of course as we've heard of the increase in support that will inevitably come from the growth in tourism vitally important activity in Scotland and as we have heard Glasgow is co-hosting the championships this year with Berlin with six sports taking place in Scotland as most speakers have mentioned we will be showcasing cycling golf, gymnastics, rowing, aqueducts and triathlon and as with the Commonwealth Games the iconic George square will be the very heart of the celebrations with two events both the men and women's road races passing through the square itself and the open water swimming will take place in the quintessential Scottish Loch Lomond within our national park one of our national parks is certainly a beautiful image of Scotland to send out to the rest of Europe in addition to this the warm hospitality of the people of Glasgow including the spectators, volunteers and staff will show some of the best that our country has to offer and running along the 11 days of sport between August 2nd and 12th this year there will be a festival showcasing the best of Scotland and glaswezian culture and as we've heard from Sandra White the merchant city festival will be part of the celebrations for the duration of the championships the debate was opened by the minister who reminded us of the transformative legacy effect of the Commonwealth Games and how the European Championship will be an exciting addition to the sporting calendar and also pointed out the staggering figure that one billion viewers across the world will watch this event and Brian Fittl has made a very good speech and of course been a athletic champion himself of leaving the 1986 Commonwealth Games made, I think, a very powerful speech about how we Scots love our sport but made the very good point of thinking that we've got to express concern about the health of Scots and clearly there's a very obvious link between positive physical and mental health and physical activity and as he said legacy doesn't just happen and Sauer again made a very good speech when he talked about the elastic legacy of the Commonwealth Games but mentioned the wider point that's been a vehicle of social policy and of course the important role of trade links and looking at the long-term effect of sport participation and the effect on poverty alleviation Sorry, caught me unaware there As a fellow Highland MSP I wonder if Dave Stewart has any comments on how we can ensure that all geographical parts of Scotland enjoy part of that legacy Dave Stewart I think that's a very good point in fact once speaker made the important point that it's important cards those who live in island communities particularly from schools to be able to participate in the games Annie Wells made the point that over 10,000 volunteers have offered to become volunteers and to reunite their love for the sport and we have lessons to learn from past events but as she herself said one of the worries is that one third of adults in Scotland do not make the guidelines for physical activity and again clear baker said that though Glasgow is the centre it's not limited purely to Glasgow and she mentioned the memories of the Clifciders who were the volunteers at the Commonwealth Games who had a magnificent contribution and she also made a very important point that the visitor impact study showed that 700,000 visitors visited last time with a contribution of 202 million pounds Morris Corry made the important point about looking forward to the memorable moments of the championship and a fifth I think he said of volunteers who applied came from Glasgow and I also agreed with this point that it's very encouraging that so many young people are interested in volunteering I agreed with Alison Johnstone that we need to build up a culture legacy and have strong international links with Berlin and Germany and sport unfortunately is not yet for everyone we do need to have this active legacy I was very impressed with Tavish Scott's contribution and a short contribution very wide ranging he managed to mention North and South Korea Andy Marri's hip operation and the island's travel fund so he gets the award for packing the most material into four minutes that I've been aware of and Sandra White finally mentioned the 50% discount for young people which I think is very valid Apologies for those I haven't been time to mention but I think the key issue today Presiding Officer is about securing and further promoting the legacy of the Commonwealth Games this is the chance to celebrate Scottish culture and promote Scotland as well as creating a lasting legacy to fight poverty and inequality thank you Colin Rachel Hamilton six minutes please Ms Hamilton thank you deputy Presiding Officer it's been like a Glasgow lovin this afternoon as I'm sure many of you know before I entered Parliament I was a volunteer netball coach and umpire and that wasn't my day job Coaching netball showed me the direct and positive influence sport has on children and particularly young girls and young people must be at the heart of our conversation and I'm pleased to hear that the minister met this morning with walking netball and on that point Brian Whittle stated that there's been an uptake in netball Scotland membership which is fantastic although I must point out that these kinds of sports are not accessible to everyone and I'll talk about legacy a little bit later so 11 days seven sports two host cities John Mason and Anna Sawa highlighted that two fine cities Glasgow and Berlin have an opportunity to develop closer links in trade and in sport and culture and I'm sure that all of us will be supporting both the athletes and of course Glasgow and the outer regions involved in the championships Miles Briggs is delighted that the swimming will take place at the Toll Cross International Swing Centre and synchronised swimming at the Scottsdon Sport Campus and the diving at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh and has already booked his tickets lucky boy the cycling will bring the four Olympic disciplines of track road, mountain bike and BMX together for the first time and they'll be staged at Glasgow's Sir Chris Hoyt Belladro and I'm sure Claire Hockey is right when she says it will have a lasting effect but I do ask if it will benefit everyone from all walks of life I was astounded to hear from the minister that the championships will see an audience a television audience of over one billion and we know that Scottish tourism is worth more than 11 billion to the economy and Maurice Corry set the scene for stunning settings such as Loch Lomond against the impressive backdrop drop of Ben Lomond and this will see many more visitors come to Scotland and our Scottish businesses and tourism will be on display and people will enjoy the immense breathtaking scenery that we can offer This therefore acts as a time to offer help to those sectors connected to the games and make sure that they get the most out of it a collective effort to get the most from these games will help Scotland in the long run and see lots more visitors and international travellers Visit Scotland's contribution will be a key part of the success and Claire Baker highlighted the visitor impact study showing the boost to the tourism economy and let's hope the same is true of the European Championships and we look forward to welcoming first time visitors to Scotland too. So moving on to the legacy it seems the success or failure of the games will be in three parts firstly it will be in how well our athletes do and I'm sure we will perform perform tremendously and we wish them all the very best secondly it's how well the host city welcomes the other competing nations Glaswegians will warmly welcome 52 countries and over 3000 inspiring and elite athletes the third is the legacy of the games which I suppose most people have talked about today and some have agreed and some have disagreed about the legacy of the championships but that is the work done and we need to harness the further of the games to promote sport active lifestyles and also Bob Doris agrees that there are concerns about legacy and wants to ask deeper questions about how we will deliver this legacy who is actually taking up sport how can we get the inactive to become active Brian Whittle mentioned the health and sport committee recently reported that there was no evidence of an active legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games although the SNP did remind us over Christmas of a slight increase in weightlifting amongst Scots indeed perhaps this is a good thing because heavy work is required to ensure that Glasgow has a lasting legacy Alison Johnson said sport is not for everyone but we have every reason to build increased participation and accessibility and family incomes as she mentioned are maybe a barrier and costs can be prohibitive Anna Sauer made an excellent point that we should ensure we see long term effect on employment and poverty alleviation and getting more people from working class backgrounds to participate in active sport there is a serious point in which a long lasting legacy of active health would help Scotland's physical and mental health again Brian Whittle reminded us that Scotland has one of the worst obesity records amongst OECD countries two thirds of adults in Scotland are overweight including 29 per cent who are obese and worryingly 29 per cent of Scottish children are at risk of being overweight including obesity in the year of young people Sandra White told us that young people are able to access free or discounted tickets which is fantastic and Miles Briggs hopes that complimentary tickets will be given to Scottish schools The Scottish Conservatives Aileen Campbell In the year of young people I wonder if the member would consider joining our calls for the UK Government to act on the watershed issue around the advertising of high-fat sugar and salt foods on the television Rachel Hamilton Well, I thank the member for the intervention and that is something that I haven't had a conversation with my colleagues in the UK Government but would be willing to do so along with my colleague Brian Whittle The Scottish Conservatives believe that a lasting legacy is therefore essential to promote and encourage Scotland to become healthier and that would allow us all to lead not only longer but healthier lives too An ambition to get the whole of Scotland active is one that I'm sure we all share and a strong legacy would help us get there Annie Wells hopes to see further community engagement and involvement at grassroots level but did acknowledge the great interest in volunteering that has been shown by hundreds of local volunteers across Glasgow I just want to highlight Tavish Scott's very good speech and he spoke importantly about the issues of national lottery funding and how the impact of a drop-in lottery sales has had on available funding for Sport Scotland It proves that we value national lottery funding and highlights our reliance on its contributions and I pledge my support my cross-party support towards helping to work out how we can actually encourage more national lottery sales Presiding Officer Deputy Presiding Officer I want to finish by congratulating Glasgow for securing the bid and wish everyone the best of luck for a successful event I call Fiona Hyslop to close this debate seven minutes please Cabinet Secretary Thank you Presiding Officer and I'd like to thank members for their contributions this afternoon Clearly there is a lot of support across the chamber for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and Scotland's thriving events industry As the minister said in our opening remarks we don't share the Conservatives' negative views on the legacy of the Commonwealth Games so we won't be supporting the amendment and what we do know from the analysis of the Commonwealth Games the best ever Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games that the economic, social, sporting and cultural benefits can be felt right across Scotland and indeed we know from the Commonwealth Games Federation's co-ordinating commission that they formally congratulated those involved in planning and delivering that legacy calling it a blueprint for future games but importantly a lot of the references during this debate have been about the importance of the impact and what we can do in communities and I think it's important to emphasise that the community sports hub were a sports scotland legacy commitment for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games they do provide a fantastic opportunity to build on that success Claire Hockey talked about her visits there are now 181 hubs up and running and the Scottish Government through sports Scotland is investing half a million pounds to support the delivery of a sporting legacy for communities right across Scotland and there will be 200 hubs up and running by 2020 Yes, Brian Whittle I thank the member for taking the intervention Far from being negative about the legacy from the Commonwealth Games I was looking to say that as I said in my speech it's very difficult to have a positive physical legacy what I was actually agreeing with Bob Doris actually around is that the legacy in the city centres has been fantastic how does the Scottish Government take that out into the communities Fiona Hyslop and that's exactly the point I was wanting to make Bob Doris I think was very clear about the importance of local community role models local credibility and that's exactly what the community sports hubs that have been established as the legacy from the Commonwealth Games have been establishing there will be more of them as I said 200 by 2020 and their main focus will be on go live get active a programme to support the community sports hubs to establish a new sport of physical activity to target those most inactive in their communities and to use sport of physical activity to improve health wellbeing and social cohesion in the local area and these were points that were made by James Kelly and John Mason specifically by Bob Doris and I think Alison Johnstone made a very important point that we need to talk about physical activity generally and play activity and outdoor play is very important as well and remember walking is the easiest and cheapest of those physical activities so in relation to some of the other aspects of the debate we do support the Labour Party amendment I also want to pay tribute to the bid team to the previous Glasgow City Council administration in securing the 2014 Commonwealth Games its legacy and securing the European Championships and I also want to pay tribute to the current Glasgow City Council administration and the delivery team for their enthusiasm in taking forward the delivery of the 2018 European Games we've seen examples of some of the points that have been made during the debate debate reflecting on the importance of the legacy of events more generally and we're committed through our national event strategy Scotland the perfect stage to the delivery of robust events and an impact methodology that balances the economic outcomes referred to by Claire Baker in relation to the rider cut and welcoming the golf which will be a new European champion to the ship event to Glen Eagle's in her wider region so we will continue to promote the ambition of major for major events in Scotland and now in 2018 was less than seven months until the championships begin the organisation of the event is gathering pace and excitement is building this is the first ever combined European Championships seven sports involving many of the best athletes in Europe and in terms of the delivery we have six different local authorities in Scotland as well as Berlin and it's going to be a broadcast to over one billion people around the globe that's very exciting indeed and I hope that Richard Lyle's enthusiasm of the championships as a non-Glasgow MSP is one that we shared by everybody else in the chamber of course Scotland has developed a strong reputation as a world-class host of major events excuse me cabinet secretary the noise level is just getting a bit high could I ask people to keep it down a bit please cabinet secretary yeah my voice might be a bit straight as well we know that we've seen with the Rider Cup and the MTV Europe Music Awards that we have that strong reputation Glasgow is currently ranked at number five in the world in the sport business ultimate sport city awards and of course there's so much happening that's not in Glasgow we have 12 venues six different local authority areas and that approach to the championship will see existing venues and outstanding facilities built on and developed Miles Briggs and Maurice Corry seem to be unaware of the young person ticketing policy specifically a target because of the 2018 a year of young people Sandra White talked about the concessions so I think as a result of this debate we will share the young people ticketing policy around members so they can help promote it there'll be concession pricing strategy for families single parent families and those on low incomes group discounts for large groups so young people free events promoted to young people in particular Presiding Officer I'm particularly interested in the broadcast reach of these championships the potential television audience of over one billion people across Europe and beyond 2,700 hours of programming promoting Scotland as Annie Wells said as a welcoming destination and having seen the beauty of Loch Lomond for the open water competition as referred to by Maurice Corry that will be a great advert for Scotland there'll be a chance again also to reinforce Scotland's position as a European nation and we'll be making sure that the impression that we give is one of welcome the festival 2018 the culture opportunities is something that again will be an opportunity to share with the year of young people 19 of the 34 successful bids will be celebrating young people in particular so the European Championships will once again put Scotland on the international stage it will provide opportunities not just for Glasgow but the whole country to get involved and to continue to enhance our reputation I hope members will help promote the European Championships especially if they are taking place in their constituency please book tickets early take the time between the 2nd of August and the 12th of August to go and support our athletes and create an even louder supportive wall of noise than even Brian Whittle experienced to support our athletes and to support this exciting new sporting event a first for Scotland and a first for Europe I support the motion Thank you that concludes our debate on the European Championship The next item on business is consideration of two business motions motion 9812 setting out a business programme and motion 9813 on a stage 2 timetable if anyone objects please say so now and I call on Joffith Patrick on behalf of the Bureau to move both the motions move together thanks very much no one's asked to speak against the motions the question is that motions 9812 and 9813 be agreed are we agreed we are thank you The next item on business is consideration of two power meant to be the motions I would ask Joffith Patrick to move motion 9814 on designation of a lead committee and motion 9835 on committee membership formally moved thank you very much so we come to decision time first question is that amendment 9789.2 in the name of Brian Whittle which seeks to amend motion 9789 in the name of Aileen Campbell on the Glasgow 2018 European Championships be agreed are we agreed we're not agreed we'll move to a division and members may cast their votes now the result of the vote on amendment 9789.2 in the name of Brian Whittle is yes 32 no 80 there were no obsensions the amendment is therefore not agreed the next question is that amendment 9789.1 in the name of Anas Sarwar which seeks to amend the motion in the name of Aileen Campbell be agreed are we all agreed we are agreed and the next question is that the motion 9789 in the name of Aileen Campbell as amended be agreed are we all agreed we are agreed and the final question is that sorry yes the next question not the final question penultimate question is that motion 9814 in the name of Joffice Patrick on designation of a lead committee be agreed are we all agreed we are and the final question this time is that motion 9835 in the name of Joffice Patrick on committee membership be agreed are we all agreed we are agreed and that concludes decision time we'll now move to members business in the name of Adam Tompkins on Holocaust Memorial Day and we'll just take a few moments for members to change seats