 Time is tight, so I'm going to go straight on to the next item of business. Members debate on motion 2149 in the name of George Adam on Paisley for City of Culture 2021. Please leave quietly. Your names are being taken. This debate will be concluded without any questions being put with those members who wish to speak in the debate. Please press the request-to-speak buttons now. I call on George Adam to open the debate. Mr Adam, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Let me talk of a town called Paisley. I'm not one for talking about it much, and I've not mentioned in the past often that it is the place where I was born and bred and brought up and educated, but you probably all believe that this is the easiest speech I'll make in this Parliament, but you could not be further from the truth. The whole idea for me is the sheer emotion of the speech itself. My town and the people I represent mean so much to me, and I want everyone to understand the positive Paisley vision that I and my fellow buddies have for our town. Quite frankly, Presiding Officer, I don't want to mess it up. When I was first elected as Paisley's MSP, I spoke of taking a Team Paisley approach to absolutely everything I did. That's why in this place it's been bombarded of all with all things Paisley, but it's also become part of the local parlance in Paisley and the whole town now talks of a Team Paisley approach. That bid can make a difference in our town. We will only need to look to our neighbours in Glasgow to see how a cultural festival can change people's views on a town or city. When their bold bid for European city of culture was announced, there was much skepticism at the time. Glasgow was in post-industrial decline and was trying to redefine itself. That and many other festivals and events have shown that Glasgow is indeed one of Europe's greatest cities. We now need everyone to get behind Paisley and their new bold bid to gain UK city of culture status in 2021. We need to get behind it because the cultural regeneration on the back of this can change the world's view of our hometown. The story of Paisley is an incredible one and what we have achieved is inspiring. Paisley has challenges like many other towns in Scotland, but it also has an extremely big heart. One of those many challenges is the fact that we have more listed buildings than any other town or city in Scotland by our bar or nation's capital. That, in itself, provides us with an opportunity to use such great venues as Martyr's Memorial Church, Paisley Town Hall and, of course, the last resting place of Marjory Bruce, Paisley Abbey. Marjory Bruce, the mother of the stupid dynasty in Scotland and daughter of one of our country's greatest heroes, Robert the Bruce, is a place where the cottage weavers of the 19th century became very radical and their political ideals. Of course, the Paisley weavers were the forefront of the Scottish insurrection of 1820, although, to say that, Presiding Officer, it is slightly inaccurate because the weavers in Paisley decided to do it in 1819. After the Peterloo massacre in August, the same year a mass rally was organised in Paisley on Saturday 11 September, radicals came from all over the west of Scotland. A crowd of 18,000 gathered at the meeting place outside the town as a local band from Nielsen played Scottish Wahey. There were many speakers that day in the crowd despair. Somebody decided to march down the high street. By 10pm the riot act was red and the cavalry were charging down the streets of Paisley pursuing peaceful protesters. The crowds were not deterred and pitch battles occurred for several days. It was not until a week later, on September 18, that an uneasy quiet returned to the town. One year later they would march under the banner in the Scottish Insurrection of 1820 of Scotland, free or a desert. Later, in the same century, the weavers once again were in dispute, this time with the corks. The corks were the merchants who bought the famous Paisley pattern shawls. They would not pay them for the small shawl, which is a small weave that holds the shawl together. They would not pay because it was not seen. They fought on eventually with elder labour and eventually in 1856 they had the opportunity, the corks relented. The first weekend of July became that celebration for the success and a local holiday, which is still celebrated today in our annual small short day summer festival. Not only are we a town of political radicals, we have also given the world much culturally, particularly in places like Fergusley park. If you googled Fergusley park you would see all the stats on deprivation, but deprivation is never defined Paisley or Fergusley park. This is a part of Paisley that has given us, singer, songwriter, Jerry Rafferty, playwright and artist John Burn. Mr Burn recently told the Herald, Paisley is a remarkable place. I hope to be involved and I support the bid. I support it wholeheartedly. I thank Fergusley park every day for my life, for providing me all the information I ever needed about life. It was the best place I have ever been. It is happy circumstances that we ended up there as a family, the language, the life, everything. I couldn't have had a better education. On that same interview he also said, I could not care less about politics. Politics is a guy who is adopted by crooks, criminals and bomb bags, but they are not all like that. I can only hope that I am one of the ones who is not only like that, but I can't vouch for the rest of you. This is another example of a radical and opinionated town and its steeped-in culture. Paisley is a town that brought us Paolo Nettini, whose dad Alfredo still owns and works in Castle Veatchey chip shop in New Street, which has been in the family since 1914. Of course Paolo will headline Edinburgh's Hygmanay party this year. There is A-list Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, and let's not forget Dr Who. David Tennant, another Paisley buddy, who along with Stephen Moffat, producer, showrunner and writer, has brought the longest-running science fiction TV series in the world to a whole new generation of fans. The disco diva from Hunter Hill, Jacqueline McKinnon, but you may know her better as Kelly Marie. Her disco anthem feels like I'm in love. No doubt it will get played quite often as we head towards the festive season. There's Robert Tannehill, the poet and contemporary of Robert Burns. And also now, can we talk about the weather, Presiding Officer? We invented it. Not only have we given Scotland's broadcasters weather people like Heather Reid and Sean Batty, but the forecasting of where the weather was built and the mathematical equations of Lewis Frye Richardson, a Quakerborn in Newcastle in 1881. His research work on predicting the weather took him to the Met Office. However, in 1920, when the Met Office became part of the Ministry of Defence, he promptly resigned and became a pacifist because of his pacifist beliefs. As he had been a conscious objector during the First World War, it was difficult for him to find a university position to continue his research. Luckily, he found a home in the Paisley College of Technology, in its modern guise as the University of the West of Scotland. He was able to continue his work and became a college principal before retiring in 1940. The mathematical equations involved in weather predictions came from Paisley. It's not our fault that the weather isn't good, but no doubt somebody at UWS is working on that machine as we speak. Ironically, the college was originally called the Paisley Technical College and School of Art. That brings us back to what Paisley 2021 bid is all about. It's about telling the world the fantastic story of our town, its history, its achievements but, most importantly, the story of its people, Paisley Buddies. Our local newspaper, Paisley Daily Express, published in 1874, supported the bid and asked Buddies to say why I love Paisley. I love Paisley because it's my town, my place in the world. It's the place. I've got a bit here that says don't greet. It's the place that says my own family have been there since 1759. Does it also say conclude? It's where I met my wife, Presiding Officer Stacey, and our daughter Jessica was born. It's where my grandparents worked in Fergusley Mill and brought their family up in Fergusley Park. This bid is about telling the world our story, who we are and what we want to achieve as Paisley Buddies. Being proud of our place in the world, in all honesty, considering what we've achieved so far, there's absolutely no need for the rest of us to thank us. But what we are asking you to do is back this bid, back our bid for the UK city of culture in 2021, join us and ensure that this great town gets its moment in the spotlight. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr Paisley. Some members haven't pressed their button. Could you make sure they've done it please? It's very tight for time, so you have to be tight yourself. Joan McAlpine, followed by Maurice Golden, I've got 10 people, 9 people wanting to speak now. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. With your permission, I'm afraid that I have to leave shortly after my speeches and have another appointment to go to. I would like to congratulate George Adam on securing this debate on Paisley for city of culture 2021. I'm delighted to be able to speak in support of the bid, having been born and brought up just down the river from Paisley in Gwrak, and having had the chance to enjoy many of its fantastic cultural offerings over the year. I do think that the Abbey is one of the greatest medieval buildings in Scotland, not least because it is still the living heart of the community. I have fond memories of attending my daughter's school concerts in the Abbey, and we'll never forget hearing Fawry's Requiem, the most wonderful choral piece echoing round the cloisters in 2011. It's a truly magnificent setting for music, and I imagine that there will be a great deal of it in 2021. I can also highly recommend the Paisley museum and its textile collection, which I visited with the family several times over the years. I was unaware of the Paisley perils exhibition, which is currently reimagining the Paisley pattern for the digital age. Having read about it in the 12 fascinating facts about Paisley presented by George Adam, I hope to get the chance to see it during the holidays. I recently learned that my grandmother, Mary McCarn, was a teenage worker in Coats Mill travelling there from Greenock. I'm delighted that the unsung labour of so many women like her will have a legacy in the £56 million plan to create a national museum of textiles in Paisley. The purpose of the UK city programme is to encourage the use of culture and creativity as a catalyst for change, and Paisley is very well placed to achieve that. I welcome the bid's commitment to use the title to address inequality, poverty and create new jobs for local people. I will enrich the lives of thousands of Paisley buddies by giving them access to unique cultural experiences and bringing a sense of pride to the town. Something whose benefits are unquantifiable but are known to touch on improved wellbeing and educational attainment. I'm old enough to remember when Glasgow was European city of culture back in 1990. That is different, of course, from this UK title. The effect is similar in the 1990 acclade was one of the first of its kind in Scotland. It was an exciting and transformative event. As a young person at the time in Glasgow, I have wonderful memories of that year and the cultural experiences that I can say really changed me. I particularly remember the collaboration of Liz Lockhead and Jerry Mulgrew and the experimental piece of theatre, Jock Tamsons' Bairns at the Tramway. Anyone who saw it, including myself, looked at Scotland and our national bard in a completely different way. I think that it's probably ripe for revival. Perhaps if Paisley 2021 goes ahead, that could be considered. One of our greatest playwrights, as George Adam, has said, is himself from Paisley. That is John Byrne. His Slab Boys, I think, probably even earlier in my life, was one of the most inspirational things I've ever seen when I saw it in the BBC. I think that it was one of the plays for today. I've never seen a portrayal of urban Scotland quite like it. It's hilarious as well as touching. Byrne's particular genius, coming from Fergusley Park, like George Adam, was the richness of the Scots' Limege in that play. I've been a fan of his work ever since, once attending an all-day staging of the trilogy at Glasgow King's Theatre. I couldn't imagine anything better than the city of culture coming to Paisley and getting the opportunity to see more of Byrne's work in his hometown. I thank George Adam for securing the member's debate and congratulating Paisley on launching its bid for UK city of culture 2021. I'm supporting Paisley's bid for three reasons. First, Paisley deserves it. Secondly, Paisley needs it. Finally, Scotland stands to benefit. First, Paisley deserves the award because it is already a city rich in culture, from a world-renowned textile design known as a Paisley pattern to some of UK's finest architecture. Paisley has a unique artistic expression, producing household names including Paolo Natini, Gerald Butler and David Tennant. Paisley has nurtured some of Scotland's greatest theatrical talent and represents the best of Scottish culture to the rest of the world. Paisley is also the setting for the famous court case of Donohue vs Stevenson, which sets out the basic criteria under Scots law for determining whether a duty of care exists. The case involves Mrs Donohue, the well meadow cafe in Paisley, an opaque coloured bottle of ginger beer, some ice cream and a decomposed snail. It's well worth a look at Lexus Nexus if you're interested. Paisley also deserves this award because it has proven to its drive to invest in the local community and think long-term. Creating a long-term fund for investment in local cultural organisations, artists and community partners, Paisley has used this opportunity to lay the foundations for continued success and cultural enrichment. I'm also supporting this bid because Paisley not only deserves this award, it needs it. The UK city of culture award is designed to reward somewhere committed to cultural enrichment but in the need of a boost. This perfectly describes Paisley. According to the 2016 Scottish indicators of multiple deprivation, 25 per cent of Paisley's population are identified as income deprived. 30 per cent of children in the area are identified as living in severe deprivation, some of which suffer the highest deprivation rates in Scotland. Being named as a UK city of culture has been seen in previous years to increase tourism by up to 50 per cent. This translates into a multi-million pound boost to the local economy, an opportunity that cannot be ignored. Finally, I'm supporting Paisley's bid because Scotland stands to benefit. Sitting next door to Glasgow international airport increased tourism in Paisley would draw global attention and create a welcome economic boost. Measures including the transformation of Paisley museum into an international class destination will not only have local advantages but also increase the international appeal of the town. Another great opportunity for Scotland. In closing, I offer my full support for the motion and wish Paisley the best of luck in their bid for UK city of culture 2021. This title is not only in Paisley's best interests but also in Scotland. Following the wise words of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, I plan to keep an eye on Paisley and hope to see it win the 2021 award. I thank my fellow buddy George Adam for securing today's debate on Paisley's bid to be UK city of culture 2021. It has been scientifically proven that Paisley is, in fact, the centre of the universe. Even MSPs like me, who do missionary work elsewhere in the west of Scotland, think fondly of our home town and its suburbs, like Joan McAlpine's Gurek. My near identical twin, Gerard Butler, is one of many famous buddies. Others include Gavin Eulens MP and a host of industrialists, scientists and entrepreneurs. However, given the short time available on the subject of this debate, we should consider those who have contributed in a direct cultural sense, such as actors David Tennant, Tom Conte, Phyllis Logan and Fulton Mackay, musicians Paolo Natini, Jerry Rafferty, David Sneddon and Kenneth McKellar, painter Alexander Goudy, architect Thomas Graham Abercrombie and John Hutchison, playwright John Byrne, sculptor Sandy Stoddard and cinematographer Michael McDonough, among many, many others. Paisley is not a suburb of Glasgow. It is a town in its own right at the heart of Wrenfisher. The town's patron saint is St Myr and the founder of a church at the site of Paisley Abbey. There is also a street in Paisley named St Myrn Street. In 1922 Paisley's renowned football team with that name won the Barcelona cup and the commemorative poster is on my wall upstairs. Although the fortunes of both clubs have diverged in the decades since, I am confident that, if St Myrn continues to play as they have so far this season, then we will be hot favourites to win the Scottish League 1 Championship in 2018. Paisley's pattern was made famous while lower by the Coates family and represents the legacy of Paisley's one-time place at the centre of the world's textile industry. Resembling a twisted teardrop, the fig-shaped Paisley is of Iranian origin. Some design scholars believe that it is the convergence of a stylised floral spray and a cypress tree, a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. It is a bent cedar and the tree Zarathustra planted in paradise, a sign of strength, the resistance and also modesty, traits for which Paisley Buddies are rightly famous. Paisley's mills have long closed, but the impact of Paisley patterns can still be seen throughout the world. Paisley's history is fascinating but often forgotten outside the town itself. Ian Jack, writing The Guardian, said in my quote, There is probably no more unjustly neglected town in these islands. There is nowhere of comparable size, 77,000 people, that is such a rich architectural, industrial and social history and that once mattered so much to the world. It is for that reason that I would like to use this opportunity to touch on the town's positive future, should it be named the UK city of culture 2021 or rather when. Paisley's rich architectural culture runs through the town from Paisley Abbey and the town hall down the high street to the museum coats observatory and coats memorial church, often described as the Baptist Cathedral of Europe. Paisley is the highest concentration of listed buildings anywhere in Scotland outside Edinburgh and is fortunate to have two great education institutions in the shape of West College Scotland and the University of the West of Scotland. The guidance that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport issued in 2014 says, UK city of culture should be expected of a high quality cultural programme that builds and expands our local strength and reaches a wide variety of audiences, creating a demonstrable economic impact and catalyst for regeneration as well as contributing to community cohesion and health and wellbeing. Securing the tech will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Renfisher, it will generate an economic gain of 50 million, create hundreds of jobs for local people and instill conference in the town, helping to transform Paisley's image nationally and cement a deeper sense of civic pride. Importantly, the last legacy of being awarded as city of culture will help to tackle poverty in an innovative way, making it easier for every local family to access cultural activities. Paisley is much to offer, but if anyone who researches its proud history will come across countless examples where the people of Paisley rose and overcame many obstacles. Winning the city of culture will serve as another example of Paisley seizing an opportunity to shape a new positive future. As we have heard, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraily is quoted as saying, keep your eye on Paisley and today I am glad that the Scottish Parliament is. Can I take this opportunity to thank George Adam for lodging this motion and helping to promote the Paisley bid for 2021 UK city of culture? I am proud to support Paisley, a town that I have come to represent for nearly 10 years, both as a councillor and as an MSP. The whole of Renfisher has a long history from the sixth and seventh century when St Myrn was said to have established the Paisley settlement through to the time of the House of Stuart in the 14th and 15th century and on to the industrial revolution in the 1800s that made Paisley a centre for textiles across the world. It is this rich history that is the basis of the bid for 2021 city of culture. People take a great pride in Paisley and it is those people who have continued the legacy of Sir Thomas Coats to make the town great. Can I take this moment to congratulate Councillor Mark McMillan, who is in the gallery today for his leadership of Renfisher Council and his initiative to get the town rallied behind this grand idea? Councillor McMillan has already announced his retirement from local politics as of May. However, I am sure that he will continue to play a strong role in ensuring that Paisley wins the UK city of culture bid. There are many famous and celebrated people in music, art and literature who have placed the town of Paisley on the cultural map and George Adam in his motion has referenced a few of those. We also have a hidden set of Paisley champions. These are the women who helped to shape our history and the women spearheading the campaign for the city of culture status. Historically, Paisley's strong thread-making traditions were supported by one of the largest female workforces in Europe, and Govan rent-strike hero Mary Barber was originally from nearby Colbarcan. Paisley has a heritage of strong women and a noted rebellious side. Today, we have Jeane Cameron, director of the 2021 bid, leading the charge to change Paisley for the better. Amanda McMillan, one of only two female managing directors of a European airport, helping to shape and boost our local economy. Politically strong women who have represented the area such as Trish Godman, Wendy Alexander and Mary Black. A love and pride in Paisley's culture and heritage is woven into the fabric of the people of the town. I cannot think of any other town or city more deserving of the status of UK city of culture. I will finish my contribution with the quotation that I started from Benjamin Disraeli. Keep your eyes on Paisley. I call Jamie Greene to be followed by Ross Greer. It is with breaking news, Deputy Presiding Officer, that I can confirm to the chamber today that Santa also loves Paisley. Today's Paisley Express reports a meeting between Provost Ann Hall and the great man himself who said that how much he loves Paisley and came from Lapland to tell her so. I would like to congratulate George Adam for securing this debate, but also the team behind the bid who put so much hard work into it. The UK city of culture competition offers a very unique opportunity for any city in the UK to demonstrate, promote and celebrate its culture. Cities far and wide have put their names forward over the years from Plymouth to Dundee. Even though we are only a few terms into this competition, we have already seen some fantastic cities win the prize and reap the benefits. Northern Ireland's London Dairy became the first, and Kingston upon Hull became victorious last time. But so far, Scottish cities have fallen short. Only Dundee has managed to make the shortlist. So I say, it's time that Scotland took home the prize. If Hull was once at the winning city because, and I quote, it was a city coming out of the shadows, then surely Paisley must be considered as a city of spirit and courage. Paisley's mills once weaved silk, fabric, shoals and textiles for the world. Nearly 10,000 people, most of them women, once filled the town to work in those mills. But like many other great industrial towns, it suffered the decline of these factories. But that didn't stop Paisley reserging, with iconic crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, who wore the Paisley pattern on silk smoking jackets at their Las Vegas shows. Paisley has also seen some tough and turbulent times, as has been mentioned, but its inhabitants have always showed spirit and courage on more than one occasion. Like when Paisley was bombed by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, or when its weavers took to the streets in the radical war in 1819, as George Adam recounts. But its indefatigable courage to recover, rebuild and inspire is one of its most defining characteristics. In my view, it should become the UK city of culture because of that resilience and its ability to reinvent itself in good times and bad. Paisley's long-influenced popular culture, for a town with just 77,000 people, has punched way above its weight. From Phyllis Logan in Downton Abbey to Jerry Girafote in Baker Street. From David Tennant crossing space and time to Paolo Netini crossing musical styles and tastes. Indeed, the Dwyane of political satire and news himself, Andrew Neil, is from Paisley, even if his tan says otherwise. Culture is synonymous with Paisley. The Spree festival sold over 4,000 tickets last year and was widely hailed as a great success. It was almost the west of Scotland's own fringe. Smaaz shot day in July still celebrates Paisley's unique textile legacy and indeed is one of the oldest workers festivals in the world. We'll also be looking forward to hosting the Scott Trad Music Awards in December next year. The benefits of becoming the UK city of culture are very significant. The first winner saw a 50 per cent increase in visitors. This is about so much more than just winning a title. It is about a collective endeavour to make Paisley a better place to live. There is some work to be done. The all-important Glasgow airport link via Paisley must still be built. Yes, parts of Paisley are indeed deprived in Scotland, but I welcome that Renfrewshire Council is doing so much to try and tackle some of these issues. Of all the city's bidding for this award, surely Paisley epitomises the spirit, the courage, the cultural heritage and the ambition for the future that is worthy of its honour. I, too, will be keeping my eyes on Paisley and I hope that the judges will, too. I thank George Adam for giving us the opportunity to debate this. Paisley is a wonderful town with a rich cultural history. It is a town that has been very much shaped by its industrial history and one that could not be more deserving of 2021's city of culture bid. The weaving industry in Paisley has given rise to world recognition, not just through the quality of the designs, most obviously the Paisley pattern, but also through the radical movements that have emerged from this history. The early 19th century artisan weavers played a key role in the 1820s radical war, as George Adam highlighted that they were so up for it that they started it before the 1820s. They went out on strike in an attempt to secure a more representative government, one that was responsive to their needs, not just the needs of the ruling class. Although brutally suppressed, the radical uprising led to lasting changes. Electro reforms were eventually retained, most obviously the 1832 reform act, but not limited to that. Even Karl Marx in Das Kapital, a tome that I'm sure every member has read from front to back, drew on the example of weavers in Paisley, referring to, and I quote, the brave Scots of Paisley and the labour that they poured into their production of textiles, he highlighted Carlyle Sons and Company as one of the oldest and most respected companies producing cotton and linen in the west of Scotland, in operation as far back as 1752. Though, as you would expect, Marx took a dim view of the Carlyle family and a much more positive view of the workers in their mills. Unfortunately, Carlyle Sons and Company does not produce textiles in Paisley any longer. Indeed, textile production essentially stopped in the 90s. The weaving industry may be gone, but this rich cultural heritage is still visible, whether it's in the town hall, paid by one old mill owner or the museum that was paid for by another, or in the multitude of streets named after the industry, dires wine, cotton street, thread street as the most obvious examples. However, the decline of that industry, along with shipbuilding and the broader process of deindustrialisation in recent decades, has left Paisley with huge challenges. Fergus Lee Park has already been highlighted as one of the areas with the highest levels of deprivation in Scotland. Paisley Job Centre has the highest number of sanctions in the west of Scotland, a figure that we hope will drop with changes coming in as this Parliament takes control over the work programme. In the north-west of the city, almost one in three children live in poverty, but we know that Paisley is a brilliant town, fantastic communities and individuals constantly working to improve their area. Indeed, Paisley is already a city of culture. This bid is about more than that. This bid is about ensuring that this rich cultural heritage can be put to good use to promote the town across this country and further afield and to address the problems that face everyone in that area. Whether Paisley wins the City of Culture 2021 bid or not, the very process of the bid will help, although I feel for any judge who votes against it when George Adam catches up with them. However, Remfrewshire Council has already set out to invest millions in supporting local arts and cultural initiatives, as well as upgrading the Paisley Museum. By winning the award, however, much more can be done to raise the profile of this historic town and to encourage the tourism and investment that it needs and to give the community better access to better cultural experiences that they have had before. The City of Culture bid should also be used to revive Paisley's bid to become a city, a recognised city. Paisley already has all the attributes of a city. The legacy of this bid should look beyond 2021 and to the status of Paisley itself for the decades and the centuries to come. I call Neil Bibby, to be followed by Tom Arthur. At the outset, I thank George Adam on bringing forward this debate to help the bid and I thank all those members who have signed the motion before us and spoke in this debate, recognising Paisley as a fitting candidate for UK City of Culture in 2021. Let me congratulate all those who have made Paisley's 2021 City of Culture bid a reality. I want to pay tribute to the sterling work of the local partnership who have been driving the bid forward. We would not be having this debate without the vision and leadership of Remfrewshire Council, from Council leader Mark McMillan and the other elected members and from the bid director Gene Cameron and every single member of staff at Remfrewshire Council. I also want to pay tribute to the enthusiasm of all those people and organisations from across the whole community who have been right behind this bid, many of whom will be joining us in the garden lobby this evening. I sense that there is a real momentum behind this bid in the local area. As someone who was born in Paisley, lives in Paisley and who, like George Adam, represents the town, I am proud to be speaking in support of our bid to be UK City of Culture. We know, as we have heard, that Paisley has a very proud past, a small market town transformed by the Industrial Revolution, Paisley becoming a world-leading producer of textiles. The Weavers, the Fred Mills, the world-renowned Paisley pattern, the way in which the industry shaped our economic history and the culture of our community are all part of the town's social tapestry. As members have mentioned, Paisley is giving the world great actors, poets, musicians and sports people. Gerard Butler, Robert Tannehill, Gerard Rafferty, Archie Gemell, Mary Fee was quite right to acknowledge the work and contribution of many of Paisley's women to Paisley's culture. Paisley's built heritage represents one of the most impressive townskates in the whole of Scotland. As a motion before us states, there are over 100 listed buildings in Paisley town centre, which is second only to Edinburgh. The 850-year-old abbey, which still stands in the centre of Paisley to this day, links us to our pre-industrial past. It is not just some kind of monument, it is still a living, active building with tours and concerts and services all year. There is a great deal to commend in Paisley's bid, and there is much to celebrate. However, this is more than a celebration of heritage in our creativity. This is about the future and a positive future. The kind of accolade and recognition and investment that it can bring to Paisley can be a real catalyst for change. I know that we all know that Paisley faces its fair share of challenges as a community. However, we can overcome them, and Paisley has many great opportunities ahead of it, too. Winning this title would be a huge economic boost for the town, as we have heard. It is projected to bring around 1 million visitors to Renfrewshire in 2021, and the economic impact is expected to be in the region of £50 million. Every penny that visitors spend on our high street will support our local economy and boost our town centre, helping us to create and sustain hundreds of new jobs for local people in the Paisley area. A successful bid will help every child and every family in Renfrewshire across access to cultural activities, breaking down barriers to social inclusion. This bid has the potential to transform Paisley. It is a platform in which we can promote the town across Britain and around the world. We are already seeing it as an opportunity to build a new sense of pride in Paisley, not just civic pride but a real appreciation of where our town has come from and where it is going. As a city of culture, we can host more and more highlights from the Britain's cultural calendar. That means bringing in more arts festivals, music festivals, great performances concerts and awards shows to Renfrewshire. I am proud of Paisley and I am proud of this bid. I wish the bid team every success and I hope they win this very special distinction for the town. For now I want to call on all people of Paisley, indeed all the people of Renfrewshire and fellow MSPs, to back the bid and together let's put the Paisley on the map as UK's city of culture in 2021. We are very pressed for times. I want to thank Tom Arthur and Stuart McMillan, who follows for cutting your speeches for two minutes. It can be done. I have done it myself. Mr Arthur, first please. I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this debate, recognising Paisley's positioning to be city of culture in 2021. I would also like to congratulate Paisley's MSP George Adam on securing this debate. Kenneth Gibson said that Paisley is not a sub-arbor of Glasgow, and I could not agree more with that, but I was solely tempted to refer to it as a sub-arbor of greater Barthead, but I think I would be pushing my luck if I did that. Being from Barthead, my angry tune has meant that Paisley has played a big part in my life. Trips to Paisley are among my most vivid childhood memories, from the happy such as seeing the lights in Christmas Eve, performing in Paisley town hall, to the less enjoyable such as nerve-wracking piano exams in the Abbey and getting hold of him in the Paisley centre. To buy a new school uniform mark in the end of yet another summer holiday. Just as Paisley was another present feature of my childhood, having the honour of now representing the diverse communities of Renfisher South, which marked the southern and western boundaries of Paisley, means that Paisley is still a big part of my life. That is because what happens in Paisley can have a significant impact on my constituents. The reality is that Paisley becoming 2021's city of culture would not just be a tremendous achievement for that proud and ancient town, it could also be a boon to the surrounding communities of Renfisher and beyond. From increased economic activity to civic renewal, the positive effects of Paisley 2021 have the potential to be felt far and wide. The predicted £1 million visitors to Paisley 2021 would, for example, have the opportunity to take in many interactions in my constituency of Renfisher South, such as a weaver's cottage in Colbarchan, and the castle sample visitor centre and country park in Lochwinnock, the gateway to the Clyde Murshill regional park. Paisley 2021 is an opportunity to put a town whose name is known around the globe firmly back on the map. I am not allowed to present an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural history of Paisley. It would show that, as well as having a proud past, Paisley still has a promising future. Paisley would make a fitting and well-deserved city of culture in 2021, and I hope that Paisley would, of course, be at the centre of activity of city of culture, the effect would be felt across the region. A successful bid would be a huge opportunity, not just for Renfisher but for the whole of the west of Scotland. I am therefore very pleased to join my colleagues from across the chamber in wishing Paisley's bid to be 2021's city of culture the very best of luck. Not quite, Mr Arthur. I have done it, though. I now call the last speaker. Thank you very much for doing that, gentlemen. Stuart McMillan. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First of all, I would like to congratulate my colleague George Adam for securing this debate. As you all know, George Adam is not shy about highlighting Paisley in the Parliament. I am happy to support the Paisley 2021 bid. As members will know, there is a friendly rivalry between Paisley and Greenock, and much of it emanates from our footballing clubs. St Myrran and Grant Morton respectively are with George Adam supporting St Myrran, and I support Grant Morton. We always have a bit of fun, which I am particularly enjoying at the moment, with Morton being 16 points ahead and six places ahead of St Myrran in the league. However, notwithstanding this, the bid is something that all of us in the west of Scotland can actually get behind. I know that the Inverclyde Council will have backed the bid, but I also encourage as many people as possible in Inverclyde to back Paisley's bid, because certainly there are benefits for my constituency also. I want to highlight a couple of reasons why I believe that Paisley should win. Paisley Abbey is a fantastic building and one with a special characteristic. It is elegance and charm, making it for me one of Scotland's iconic buildings. I have attended a few services in the Abbey, and I have never failed to be impressed by its atmosphere. The second example is the people. I have worked in Paisley for four years and also in my regional office in the town for six years. I have found the people to be similar to those in Inverclyde, friendly, warm, ambitious for the town and also funny. There is always a special characteristic about working-class communities that can open up a vibrancy in the arts and culture. Paisley's history is certainly a story that bodies need to tell. Nobody is going to tell it for them. To me, Paisley's history and also its pattern are stories that should be told time and time again. Historical events can become cultural and economic drivers for our communities, and in Paisley's case there is an abundant amount of that history. I mentioned the benefits to Inverclyde. We are just down the road, and we will get benefits if Paisley is successful with that. It is from the main tourism element, for senior golf courses, outdoor pool and guruk, to name just some. Good luck to the bid team, good luck to Paisley, and on this issue, both Greenwick and Paisley can unite for the benefit of both communities. Well done, Ms McMillan. You beat Mr Arthur. I call the cabinet secretary to 551, please. Thank you very much, and I would like to thank members for their contributions. Clearly, there is a lot of support across the chamber for Paisley's bid to become 2021 UK city of culture. I welcome Renfrewshire Council's clear ambitions to use culture and creativity as a catalyst to promote regeneration. I have met Renfrewshire Council early in their campaign to hear of their ambitions around Paisley, and my officials have also met them since then. I am mindful, however, that there are other Scottish cities and areas that have indicated or may still indicate an interest to bid to become 2021 UK city of culture, given the process has not yet launched. The Scottish Government and our agencies have recent valuable experience to help to advise bidding cities through this process and look at opportunities related to their plans. My officials have also been in contact with the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport, who run this competition to ensure details of the bidding process are finalised as soon as possible to help Scottish cities and areas to develop their plans. Let's focus on Paisley. Paisley is a proud and confident town, rooted in culture and heritage, a town that not only cherishes its diverse heritage and traditions, but also continually seeks to create further opportunities to share and to celebrate. Indeed, I was delighted to announce earlier today that Paisley's international festival of weaving in July 2017 will be one of the funded signature events for the Scottish Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. Paisley's exciting UK city of culture bid seeks to transform Paisley's future by using its unique cultural heritage as the home of the world-renowned Paisley pattern and one-time centre of the global textile industry to attract tourism investment as well as to promote further job growth and economic stability across all of Renfrewshire. The bid will show the breadth and depth of Paisley's cultural assets, value of its heritage and its potential for economic, social and cultural regeneration as it celebrates its rich textiles heritage while looking forward to a future built on innovation, enterprise, talent and community. The Paisley 2021 bid is doing a fantastic job highlighting the strength of Paisley's bid and the town's drive for UK city of culture in 2021. Nationally, our national performing companies are already active in Paisley, demonstrating through the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's five-year collaboration with Paisley's SPRI festival and Scottish Bally's continued partnership with the Kibble Care and Education Centre in Paisley. The project, in particular, has introduced many young people excluded from mainstream education due to their additional social and behavioural needs to creative dance and ballet. In addition, Scottish Bally has had 13 children from the Paisley area joining their associate programme, which provides vocationally classically-based training for boys and girls from primary 6 to secondary 5 to develop confident, dedicated and motivated dancers. If the bid is successful, it should think of reviving the ballet that was based on the fantastic movements of Archie Gemmell when he scored that amazing goal during the World Cup. I am delighted that, through this bid, our national performing companies are in discussions with the 2021 bid team in Paisley to look at the opportunities to work closely with this community to deliver programmes that enrich people's lives and enhance Scottish culture heritage. I recognise the ambition of the council, the people of Paisley, who are to be praised for looking to secure a prosperous and successful future, firmly rooted in Paisley's cultural heritage, which is both extraordinarily rich and historically deep. The 10-year Paisley town centre heritage strategy was a major step forward in bringing this ambition to reality. The work around the Abbey has already been developing and it is good to see success in that progress in that area. Paisley has much to be proud of. It deserves a future that is every bit as great as its past. We all want to see Paisley succeed. Paisley is different, and Paisley is special. Paisley is unique, perhaps as much as the mover of this motion, George Adam, and I expect everyone to congratulate him in bringing this motion to the chamber. I wish everyone well for tonight's event in Parliament. I am very sorry that I cannot join you, but I am speaking at the 40th anniversary of the Federation of Scottish Theatre at the Roxburgh hotel in approximately 10 minutes. I wish you all well in your celebrations and your activity. The process of putting the bid together is a great achievement. It unleashes the spirit of Paisley, and I hope that everybody that is involved can take the best from what they have achieved to date. I wish everyone the best for the future. Members will now understand why we could not extend the debate. There is a prize for counting the number of times Paisley is mentioned, and George Adam will be in charge of the prize. I close this meeting of Parliament.