 Mae gennym yn gweithio i'r cyflaenig i gael i'r gwahoddiad i'r gwaith? The final item of business today is a member's business debate on motion 7215, in the name of John Mason on promoting the benefits of camping. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put, I invite members wishing to participate, to press the request-to-speak buttons now as soon as possible. John Mason to open the debate for around seven minutes Mr Mason. I would like to thank all those MSPs who supported my motion and those who are attending or speaking today. Personally speaking, I get better nights sleep in a tent than I do anywhere else. There is something about being outside more, sleeping in the fresh air, which is just great. Camping with a tent at least means that there are usually fewer distractions like TV or computers and fewer chores like hoovering or ironing. I personally find that my pace of life slows down a lot, and it is one of the ways that really helps me personally relax. Of course, camping can mean slightly different things to different people. Some would prefer a caravan or a motor home, while others are attracted by glamping. At the less luxurious end, wild camping means that you can go almost anywhere and get right away from other people. For myself, I prefer a campsite with decent toilets and showers. Ignore the interventions from a sedentary position, Mr Mason. When I was younger, I tended just to turn up at a campsite and there was usually a pitch available. However, nowadays I tend to plan ahead and book in advance. For example, through the camping and caravanning club of which I am a member, or using a website such as pitchup.com. Camping needs not be expensive. Of course, you can spend a fortune on an all-singing, all-dancing motor home, but you can also get a pretty decent tent for a reasonable price. Camping is a really enjoyable experience for me and many others, and as the summer approaches, I am looking forward to weekend away in May and perhaps a longer trip to Ireland in the summer. However, when Sheffield, Hallam and Liverpool John Moores universities came out with this outjoiment report, I discovered that I had scientific research to back up my subjective feelings. I am a member, as I said, of the camping and caravanning club who commissioned the outjoiment report, and some of the facts and figures that they came up with include over 10,000 people who took part in the survey, so it is a very good number of people. 97 per cent say that camping makes them happy, 93 per cent enjoy being in nature, 48 per cent of campers reported feeling happy almost every day compared to 35 per cent of non-campers, 44 per cent of campers say they have optimal mental health compared to 31 per cent of non-campers, and campers are less stressed than non-campers. We should perhaps also note at this point that the report's definition of camping is pretty wide, including static caravans and motor homes, as well as tents, whether on a campsite or for wild camping. I do not want to get into all the technical detail of the university's studies, but suffice it to say that they use the riff scale of psychological wellbeing, which includes self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life and personal growth. There are a few things better in life than coming back to your tent after a day's walking or visiting a museum or sightseeing and sitting down in the sunshine, making a cup of tea, relaxing with a book and maybe later cooking a meal and having a beer. I have stayed at many different campsites over the years. Apple Cross is one of my favourites, which is fabulous scenery, as well as looking across at Raze and Skye, great walking nearby and two excellent places to eat, the Apple Cross Inn and the Wald Garden. Other sites I have especially enjoyed include Wick, Alla Pool, Lacksdale on Lewis, Strunrar, Invergarry, Coll, Roy Bridge, which has the advantages of a railway station and two eating places, Stromnes, Lerwick and outside Scotland too, Kezwick in the Lake District, Guernsey, St David's and Galway. On the point of connecting with nature, I had all long hoped to see a corncrake, but they are incredibly elusive birds. Even when you can hear them just a few feet away. I was sitting outside my tent on a gorgeous sunny day on Tyree, near the edge of a field, and along came this corncrake, nonshinently walking past my tent. That really was a great experience as it is etched in my memory. One area where I think Scotland could improve on is having more campsites closer to our cities. Inverness is probably the exception, but Glasgow's nearest campsite is probably Strathclyde Park and public transport from there is not easy. I know the council has considered Pollock Park as a possibility, but that has not happened so far. By contrast, Dublin has a campsite on a bus route, so it is easy to access the city centre by public transport. Accessible camping for wheelchair users is also an issue. There was an article in today's independent living newsletter highlighting the challenges and listing 10 wheelchair-friendly camping destinations, one of which is in Scotland at Loch Ness Shores. I would also thank Scottish Land and the States for their briefing for today, and they made the valid point that there can be a problem with some areas with dirty camping, and I know that Loch Lomond has suffered from that. So I would echo their call for camping to be in line with the Scottish outdoor access code, with principles including respecting the interests of other people, caring for the environment and taking responsibility for your own actions. I do accept that you can have the odd drop of rain or a midge or two when you are camping in Scotland, and I have had the experience of my tent being almost torn apart around me in the storm. But such experiences do not happen all that often, and they have certainly not put me off camping in a tent with the huge enjoyment that that brings. I would just say to fellow MSPs on committees that if your committee is heading off to visit somewhere exotic, like Nairn, Islay or Mull, do not just automatically stay in a hotel. You can take your tent along and enjoy camping while still eating with colleagues and attending all the meetings. I personally did this with Equal Opportunities Committee and the Rural Economy Committee, as Mr Mountain can testify, when I was a member of these. However, sadly, I am currently on the finance and Covid committees, neither of which seem to visit very interesting camping places. So many thanks to all those who have listened to all this. You will have gathered I am hugely enthusiastic about camping. Especially thanks to all those involved in producing the Outjoiment report. I look forward to hearing the speeches which are to come. Thank you. Thank you, Mr Mason. I look forward to putting that idea to the next meeting of the conveners group. We now move to the open debate. I call 1st Jenny Minto to be followed by Murdo Fraser around four minutes, Ms Minto. Thank you, Presiding Officer, and just following on from John there, I'd be very happy if the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee came to Islay because it could mean I could stay at home. But I can vouch for we've got a really good campsite there. I'd like to congratulate John Mason on securing this debate on the benefits and joys of camping and welcome the Outjoiment report. I hope the chamber will give me some latitude and allow me to broaden my speech to the joys of caravanning as well as camping. I'm going to approach my contribution from three different angles. First, from my memories as a girl guide. Secondly, as an island dweller. And thirdly, as a person who has enjoyed many caravan holidays. The anticipation of heading off for a week under canvas as part of the 16th Andrews guides is one of my childhood memories. I'm preparing for this speech many more flooded back, literally in one case. As we were evacuated in the middle of the night from our camp near Matrose, as a thunderstorm hit, and evacuated into a grand hall of a stately home which of course was haunted. Memories include from these camps, jungle breakfasts, orienteering in the tropics, cooking pancakes on the fire, cycling to forfer climbing trees, midnight feast, and some tears too. Oh, and being driven round and about and sterling the wrong way. As well as the fun, there was also use for learning how to get on with people, coping with being away from home, learning about nature in Scotland and practically team working. Ensuring that the tent was properly put up. Wood crafting skills, making the tripods for basins to balance in and finding suitable welly pegs. Outdoor skills, map reading, compass reading, I mentioned orienteering, we got lost. Nature skills, recognising trees, flowers and birds. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the guides and so I can absolutely understand that happiness being in nature and improvements in health and wellbeing is a motivation for camping. I was also pleased to see that John Mason's motion recognised the impact of Airbnb's in communities and the need to incentivise areas to provide better infrastructure to those areas that attract campers. Which are, as my Westminster colleague Brendan O'Hara described as a welcome frustration. One successful infrastructure model is on Tyree, where the community took action in 2010. Visiting camping vans must now book an overnight pitch in advance, which are checked by a ranger on arrival. Tyree's Croft camping scheme allows individual crofters to allocate a piece of land to accommodate a maximum of three vehicles. This means that the macher and sand dune habit at which hosts protected rare species, as well as providing grazing, are no longer damaged. Presiding Officer, if I may, I have some small requests for campers and caravaners. Please be responsible, take your litter home. Don't use public toilets to dispose of your chemical in grey water. Find the proper location. Don't pack your vans full of supermarket food. Eat local, spread the benefits. And if you're causing a queue of traffic, please use labis or passing places to allow others to pass. And finally, please understand that Scotland's wild camping rules don't apply to motorhomes. Now, our family, very close family friends in the camper van we had a caravan, and at least twice a year we took to the road. Cacubrie, the Lake District, Dornach, Eileth, Cullin, were all destinations. And these trips were real highlights of our school holidays. We built ganghuts, dam rivers, toasted marshmallows, played scrabble, climbed trees, made angel delight. They also helped geography lessons come alive by seeing misfit streams, quarries and hanging valleys. And history too, visiting Scottish castles, ruined cathedrals and museums when it rained. All adding to our happiness, health, education and wellbeing. So, Presiding Officer, to conclude, and this is where you need to put your memories, put your imagination out there, Matt, the telegraph cartoonist, did a series of cartoons titled Matt Gets a Camper Van perhaps around about 30 years ago. This is framed in our friend's home as my dad gave it to them as a present. There is one called the Swiss Army Camper Van which shows all the mod cons you can get in a camper van, cooker, bed, toilet bath, television bath, television and seat exploding from the van like tools in a Swiss Army knife. If I may, I'd like to suggest a slight twist on this cartoon with a new Swiss Army tent, camper van or caravan. And instead of the mod cons, the tools would be emojis of trees, mountains, castles, beaches, happy faces representing all the joys and benefits of caravanning or camping. Thank you, Ms Minto. And I call Murdo Fraser who joins us remotely to be followed by David Torrance around four minutes, Mr Fraser. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I congratulate John Mason on securing this debate? And like him, I read with interest the outjoiment report from the Camping and Caravan Club which makes some excellent, excellent points. Unlike both John Mason and Jenny Minto, I am a happy camper and I've had a whole list of very enjoyable family holidays in a tent when our children were a little bit younger. In all different parts of Scotland some of the venues have already been mentioned and also south of the border. And we had one particularly memorable summer holiday when we travelled the north coast 500 with the tent camping along the route which was great in terms of the flexibility offered and we were blessed with extremely good weather and there are some excellent high quality campsites right along that route which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone and I would just say gently to Jenny Minto I think it would be better for the people living along that route if folk took their tents rather than trying to tow caravans along some of those roads so it's great to see that infrastructure in place. And I've also wild camped on various climbing trips in the West Highlands in a very different experience having to carry in all your kit often for several miles and that's been in the main enjoyable although it has had its ups and downs and I remember one particular trip to Fisherfield Forest in Wester Ross climbing someone rose where we were plagued with the most abominable midges I've ever experienced and I still break out in a cold sweat thinking about that particular trip given the experience of our midges and when John Mason said one of the joys of camping in the wilds there were a few distractions perhaps Mr Mason hasn't experienced the West Highlands midges in the way I have but believe me that was a big distraction and I don't remember getting much sleep at all that night given the midges I didn't sign Mr Mason's motion although I agreed with most of it but the one issue I took objection to was the mention of Airbnb's and short-term let's I don't think we should see this as an either or I think there are many parts of Scotland where the provision of short-term let accommodation for visitors is a really important part of the economy and while it is the case that there are in a few places in Scotland a competition between short-term let accommodation and accommodation for local people there are many other parts particularly remote parts where that is not the case and the provision of short-term let accommodation is actually a really significant part of the local economy and does provide employment so I don't think we should see this as an either or the other issue I mentioned and it was touched on by John Mason earlier was the issue of dirty camping in Scotland we've seen groges in the last few years with people coming, dumping their rubbish, leaving their tents up leaving human refuse behind causing disturbance to locals. I remember leading a members debate on this issue three or four years ago and it's continued to be a major problem although certain councils for example Perthincon Ross with their ranger scheme I'll try to tackle it head on so this continues to be an issue I agree with what's been said about having to tackle dirty camping we do have a Scottish Outdoor Access Code that's now 20 years old I think it's probably time we had another look at that and in particular I think it's time to consider whether the level of public education around access to the countryside and the responsibilities of those taking access that needs to be reinforced because many people think they can just turn up and do what they like not realising they're causing harm and damage to the environment and potentially disturbance to people in the neighbourhood and the other thing very briefly I mentioned before I close is great to see new campsites open up but we do need to look at our planning restrictions and see whether perhaps they are just too restrictive in allowing land that could be made available for small campsites and I was very taken with what Jenny Minto had to say with campsites being opened on the islands it is a perfect farm diversification to allow a small campsite to be opened up and we need to look at how that can be enabled but can I just close by once again thanking John Mason for securing the debate and in the inimitable words of Sid James and Barbara Windsor can I encourage all members to carry on camping thank you very much indeed Mr Fraser David Torrance to be followed by Michelle Thompson around four minutes Mr Torrance thank you to John Mason for securing this debate this evening on a subject very close to my heart the founder of modern camping was Thomas Herm holding in 1853 Thomas travelled through the Highlands of Scotland with a canoe going on to write two books about his adventures in 1901 he founded the first camping club in the world association of psycho campers but it wasn't until after world war one when Robert Baden Powell a man I've spoken many times in this chamber founder of the scout movement became president of a camping club that established of camping organisations was fostered in a number of western european countries camping has been my passion since a very young age and has stayed with me into my adulthood anyone knows me well will tell you that I can frequently be heard extolling the benefits of camping to anyone that will listen by gently trying to persuade those who may be a bit hesitant to actually try for themselves I find many people who have never been camping before often have a number of preconceived ideas perhaps misconceptions about what camping is and what to expect from experience but for many once they make the first steps they never look back Albert Einstein says look deep into nature and you'll understand everything better it gives them opportunities to try new things conquer fears and learn skill for life building their self-confidence and self-esteem and I think I have pulled a paper too much I couldn't agree more with this sorry, Presiding Officer camping provides a whole host of benefits for both body and mind from relationships to building opportunities to learn and develop new skills connecting with nature, reducing stress increasing physical fitness and importantly these days my mind enlist is endless as a lifelong member of a scouts I was introduced to wonders of camping at a young age and these days as a scout leader I am privileged to carry on there is something special about this your first camp and I was privileged to wish at that moment with scores of young people every single year it gives them the opportunity to try new things conquer fears and learn skills for life building self-confidence and self-esteem to spend their days being physically active and living together in an environment where cooperation respect for others is key in sharing responsibilities and resolving disagreements and finding out first hand the importance of communication around your summer camp and church and valley is an eye-opener for less to experience scouts despite being told beforehand that there is no cell signal for miles around it always amuses me when they arrive that realisation hits home and there actually is none strange enough my office manager also enjoys that by my own way and I am not sure why but watching his kids take a break from television their phones, social media and internet rediscovering their creative powers and engaging with the real world real people, real activities, real adventures and real emotion is an absolute joy I would like to share an experience of one of these summer camps that stayed with me for many years with a young scout who I will call Johnny came to his first camp Johnny was 10 years old and had a difficult background he had many students of his life and was under protection of social care on his first afternoon I looked across and saw Johnny standing at the edge of a field all alone and staring into a distance I walked across to him and asked if he was okay he replied yes it's just I've never seen a real cow before and I have never forgotten the look of happiness and content on his face at the moment and I never will he spent the rest of the week rolling about in the dirt playing games boys and girls and getting stuck into any and every task the boy who turned home from that trip was far more confident and self assured than the one who had left the week before in conclusion campaign is a way of life offers a sense of freedom and adventure we are lucky to live in a Scotland a country bringing with natural beauty with a ray of majestic mountains sweetened coastlines and stunning landscapes all on our doorstep so for those of you who haven't yet tried it like me too Thank you Mr Torrance Michelle Thomson to be followed by Edward Mountain in around four minutes Ms Thomson Thank you Presiding Officer I was prompted to take part in this debate when it was discussed in a meeting and I said I'd like to take part and my good friend and colleague John Mason looked at me in disbelief but he didn't say it but the obvious insinuation was you? Camping Frequently wild camping so I'm perhaps a middle of the road campsite camper As a youngster I was taking my dad's old tent and you may remember the canvas tents that let in water and weighed a ton when they were wet and of course like many other families we camped every year with friends and I'd just like to note some of my recollections first the tent pitching now I concede I'm the type of person that doesn't even like to ask for directions so you can imagine how I feel about being given help with pitching tents and you're always aware of the silent eyes watching your method particularly if it was a big tent as ours was I could hear the I wouldn't do it that way but it's all so much easier now with the colour coded poles On a site I loved the sense of community and our children made friends easily in the little gangs formed quickly there appeared to be an unwritten rule that everyone watched out for everyone else's children and of course there's something about cooking outdoors that makes food taste so much better the wine did too but it always resulted in someone tripping over a guy rope on their way back from the toilet in the dark the simplicity worked for me and I've been my life a voracious reader and I take up residence with a book and switch off and I found very quickly that so many of the possessions I had were simply not needed is perfectly possible to have one set of crockery and cutlery it's entirely possible to wear the same clothes several days running and go for a walk in your pyjamas this quick, keenly price and accessible route to freedom the peace and quiet and removal from the daily burdens of work parenting and worry were always a gift I've enjoyed Ken Moore of various sites in East Lothian and I tend to veer away from the west coast because of the midges I think we've all got midges stories but seriously campsites provide an accessible routes for tourists too and this is such an important sector for Scotland in bringing jobs capital and of course promoting Scotland's international brand and it's estimated about 14 billion people visit Scotland each year with tourism contributing about 5% to our GDP and employing around 7% of Scotland's workforce we know the pandemic increased the number of staycations but also provided the opportunity for many Scots to see what a beautiful country they lived in the Scottish accommodation occupancy survey report of December 2022-21 and December 22-19 compares statistics of caravanners and campers the report shows that a low touring pitch occupancy and whole part occupancy in 2022 were down from 2019 caravan pitch occupancy and tent pitch occupancy saw an increase following the pandemic Brexit and the cost of living crisis camping can offer a much more economically friendly way to those wishing to have a break and the revenue generated stays in Scotland and in local communities lastly if we can give some thought to those SNEs providing camping facilities whether seasonal but risk management is not typical risks to be managed include weather events such as floods infrastructure needs to be maintained such as septic tanks guests themselves bring risks and their pets do too cash flow and overheads are always a consideration and this after considerable upfront costs if we value our camping we need to value our SNEs that provide the facilities I know I do thank you very much Mr Thompson and I call Edward Mountain to be followed by Christine Grahame for around four minutes Mr Thompson thank you very much I fear I won't take four minutes but I was inspired to stay this evening to listen to John Mason talk about his camping and I wasn't disappointed I wasn't disappointed because of all the lovely places that he talked about waking up most of them were in the Highlands and Islands and that is entirely true and it is a perfect opportunity to visit the Highlands and Islands and I can vouch for when the fact that when he was on the wreck committee he always came in happy in the morning even on mull when it was pouring with rain and he didn't look too bedraggled and I don't know if he used the facilities the rest of us used in the hotel or whether he ate the breakfast but he was happy and we didn't have to sit upwind of him so it was all good my experience presiding officer of camping he came later in life I missed it as a child and for 12 years the army gave me great experience of camping usually on the back of an armored vehicle which was oily and smelly but it was warm but I was taken all over the world and I have some happy memories of thinking at one stage when I was in the deepest bush in Uganda that I might end up sharing my camp bed with a hyena who thought it was the appropriate place to be I wasn't quite so keen on that and I have less than happy memories of being in Canada who make our midges look positively tame so we spent most of the final hours of daylight collecting up cow poo from the pain and burning it and then sleeping down wind of it because it was the only thing that kept the mosquitoes away but they were happy times and I did enjoy it camping and after that I can say my camping has been limited to taking my children out to places and I tend to do it earlier in the year before the midges come out but it was great fun and there were very many happy memories from it and I would just like to pick on one of the points that has been a theme through this is that living in the Highlands and having a farm I'm always glad to see campers I'm always glad to see them out enjoying the countryside that I enjoy but it is also a place that I work in and other people work in and it is a place where wildlife lives and survives and so I make the point that I think it's really important that when people go out I don't want to stop them camping I'm delighted to see them camping they respect everyone else who wants to use that whether it be humans or animals and I think that's important and I think it's also important that the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which was published I think in 2005 is in desperate need of a certain review something I've been working on with the minister who's less keen to do that I would like to see it encouraging camping under the understanding that you carry in and then you carry out and you don't just do it on the edge of the road and you don't do it just in honeypots and what you take in with you without putting too final point on it you take out with you as well and you don't leave it in a bag hanging on a bush as too many of us see in the countryside so I would like to encourage it I'm delighted that John Mason has brought this motion I'm annoyed at Murdo Fraser for stealing the punchline that I guess we all wondered whether we could use carry on camping but wondered whether we'd get away with it so I'm not going to use it again or repeat it but I'm just going to make one comment is those people who spent a night out round a campfire will always know that the best pace and the best pace for life and that it is very good round that campfire and it generates memories which we all treasure forever Thank you very much Mr Mountain final speaker in the open debate and we'll meet in Graham again around four minutes Thank you Deputy Presiding Officer I too would like to thank John Mason for bringing this debate though whether the statistics stand up to scrutiny I'll leave to others now this contribution comes with a health warning for me the benefits of camping is to bring back sharp memories when 90% of the time my camping experience was determined by the elements I say to John Mason it was more than a drop more a deluge I'll exemplify by describing two camping experiences but there were others the first is as a child when on warm sunny days yes, in childhood it appeared to be some we would plead with my mother to fetch two blankets peg them to the washing line and pull them outwards to provide a makeshift tent we'd add a bit of carpet inside and nestled down with comics and juice and we were in a world of our own the second was as the girl guide patrol leader of the daffodils can you imagine it when we went camping as a troop to far away North Berwick from Edinburgh we loved with our sailors kit bags mine belonged to my uncle Dodd who'd been in the merchant navy so it wore the ravages of time it was heavy and awkward and entirely inappropriate but my pride and joy at our destination we had to wreck heavy duty bell tents which slept a patrol of eight or so hammering the tent pegs in ourselves and then building from twigs and branches a rack for the centre to lift set kit bags free from the damp ground I had no sleeping bag few working folk had them so as part of my guide training I had been taught how to overlap blankets as a substitute though I did have a real ground sheet by the way the overlapping unscramble itself in the night leaving me pretty chilled one night complying with tradition we had a midnight feast in the tent at 8pm we couldn't wait for dark let alone midnight consuming smuggle gold baked beans washed down with cremola foam I'll provide a glossy we thought we were living the high life ah the simplicity of youth we were allocated tasks and rotation my patrol I think was first on cooking breakfast which it vaguely resembled though the scrambled eggs were somewhat idiosyncratic another patrol was sent to dig the trains and so on no more cons were us Mr Mason although soon after we completed our resettlement over the next few days the skies opened and opened the rain varying only in quality and quantity bell tents began to sag as did our spirits one touch of the canvas and water poured in even ground sheets lost their efficacy our guide leader finally announced that we had to leave the sinking ship which was pretty appropriate given the water surrounding us a few of us were handpicked to stay behind sleep overnight in a local school hall and hopefully next day loosen the guy ropes and let them blow dry in the predicted wind and I was one such that day like the cavalry over the hill came a troop of North Berwick Boy Scouts to rescue us and our equipment and so it came to pass I met my very first serious boy friend whose name unluckly for him is not lost in the midst of time Cullen Campbell where are you now I hope still alive and kicking I was 14 and he was 18 and from my perspective a man only one date after that my shoe fell off embarrassingly when we were strolling down Prince Street mortifying me but that's another story I got over it but he was the first boy friend of a selective few so a big marker in my life and definitely a benefit of camping thank you Miss Graham our creative use of parliamentary privilege there I would invite Ivan McKee to respond to the debate minister for around seven minutes please thank you I'd like to start by thanking John Mason for bringing the motion to Parliament and in its own way helping to promote the benefits of camping it's interesting to know that there's only two parties taking part this evening three parties have decided that this topic is not worth their time taking part and I don't know if that says more about them or more about the two parties that have taken part but it's certainly been a hugely entertaining debate this evening with some very important and valid points made, we've had a tour of Scotland and of further afield from Edward Mountain and we've had the quotes from Carry On Camping from Murdo Fraser but the reality of Carry On Camping from Christine Graham of course in Scotland we're fortunate to have a unique natural environment which can play a key part in improving the health of everyone in the country and it's important that we continue to encourage and support people to use this amazing resource to be more active and to spend more time outdoors to improve their physical and mental health and it's not just people's physical and mental health that benefits from outdoor activity like camping and getting closer to nature it can help with loneliness and other mental health issues too in 2021 Scottish Government launched the community's mental health and wellbeing fund for adults which has provided £36 million over two years to help tackle social isolation and loneliness and mental health inequalities made worse by the pandemic and the cost crisis and this has benefited a diverse range of initiatives including those focused on nature sport, exercises social spaces, art and therapeutic approaches with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention Camping, Presiding Officer however must be done responsibly and wild camping is part of Scotland's world leading rights of responsible access to land outdoor access code and I do think it's important we distinguish between true wild camping as defined in the code and this is an increase in what we might term congregational roadside camping be that motor homes or with tents most people of course behave responsibly although we are aware of recent pressures placed on rural communities by irresponsible behaviour from a small minority around littering human waste disposal, environmental damage lighting fires, car parking and so on and points it to a highlighted very well in her contribution A key strand of our visitor management strategies work is marketing and awareness which aims to inform both visitors and locals of their rights and responsibilities around the code NatureScot's Radio campaign in August last year reached 1.3 million listeners across Scotland One of the largest differences is made by increased face-to-face interaction by Scotland's ranger services and we will therefore again be providing 3 million pounds of funding this financial year to take on over 220 seasonal rangers and I was delighted to see the great work they do in my visit to rural Perthshire last year There are also countless educational benefits and encouraging our young people to engage without their activities, nature and camping in a sustainable and responsible manner some points that David Torrance highlighted very well in his contribution For example NatureScot has worked closely with YoungScot to develop new resources to promote the outdoor access code and with their help they produce a series of 12 short animations to help engage and educate this target audience as effectively as possible In terms of teaching the code in schools in particular, curriculum for excellence provides teachers and other educators with a flexible framework which can be adapted to meet local needs and learning for sustainability and outdoor learning are important across curricular themes The code can therefore be covered to support learning and teaching in relevant areas with support from Education Scotland and teaching groups as well as other outdoor learning providers NatureScot has redesigned the code education pack creating a more interactive online resource with clear and explicit links to the formal curriculum Promoting campaign aligns with the Scottish Government's national strategy for economic transformation and Scottish tourism sector Scotland Outlook 2030 priorities That tourism strategy highlights our passionate people and the sector employs 3,000 people across Scotland We are thriving places and camping is a great way for visitors to see first hand our amazing natural beauty Our diverse businesses and camping again is great for business 2019 report commissioned by the UK Caravan and Camping Alliance estimated that visitors to holiday parks and campsites in Scotland spent £770 million in that spending and supply chain activity and wage spending was estimated to support 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs across Scotland The strategy also highlights our memorable experiences in camping, dating on organised sites or wild camping in the Highlands and Islands down to Dumfries and Galloway and all points in between is a great way to see some breathtaking Scottish scenery and have some memorable encounters with our natural habitat A point again, Edward Mountain raised in his contribution That can only be a good thing for Scottish tourism Positive, word of mouth advertising from visitors who have had some great memorable experiences is the best advertising you can get The Scottish Government's rural tourism infrastructure fund has helped to play its part in the promotion of camping The several funding awards and a number of our awards have included improvements to camping provision or facilities for campers For example, the fund provided £200,000 for the provision of a campsite adjacent to get a ferry terminal for camping pitches as well as car parking with recycling and waste disposal units along with toilet shares and laundry facilities In addition to help relieve on-going visitor pressures we provided £260,000 improvements at Point of Nest Camping and Caravan site As Minister for Tourism, I very much welcome the findings of the enjoyment report The positive results can only be a good thing for Scotland's tourism economy I myself will get the opportunity to see first-hand the benefits of camping when I visit a campsite next month organised by the Trade Association BHHPA Subjects of course to me still being the Minister for Camping following the impending reshuffle I have been camping I would encourage as many of you as possible to give it a go, responsibly of course from the report we know that 93% of campers value camping for the benefits a gift of their health and wellbeing so my message is and I'm sorry to say this Presiding Officer carry on camping, thank you very much Thank you Minister, I'm sure you'll be welcome back at that campsite whether you're the Minister or not but that concludes the debate and I close this meeting of Parliament