Speeches by McAllister.

“So the position of Rufus Radcliffe is inaccurate when he stated that there were 650 people across the organisation and 150 of them are in the newsroom in the north. Is that inaccurate?”

“Out of a workforce of 650 in STV in total across the whole of Scotland, would you not regard the 150 working in the newsroom in the north to be top heavy?”

“Chair, can I ask a supplementary on that one?”

“It may be too early to say but do you know how many of your members are likely to accept or to agree to a voluntary redundancy package? Is it likely that management would have to move to compulsory redundancy?”

“My constituents Stacy, Caitlin, Julia and Alison maintain that the current rates of maternity and paternity pay are woefully inadequate. One advised me that they delayed having children until they were financially secure, and it is unlikely that they will consider having a second child. Does my hon. Friend therefore ag…”

“The UK Government are investing more than £41 million of funding in my constituency, including the recently announced pride in place award. That will unlock the potential of my West Dunbartonshire constituency, matching the level of ambition I have to regenerate our town centres and communities and make them fit for th…”

“3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support regeneration in Scotland through the pride in place programme.”

“Has the hotel accommodation been booked for the athletes at this stage? Are we convinced that Glasgow has the hotel capacity? I think the date of the Commonwealth Games is slap bang in the middle of the Glasgow Fair in the summer. Does that leave enough capacity for spectators travelling to Scotland and Glasgow to view…”

“Finally on that point, we mentioned council budgets earlier. Their challenges are well documented. Do you expect the Games to generate money that can be reinstated in council services in future years, or will the Games be a cost to the council taxpayer and my constituents?”

“The Games are expected to deliver £100 million of inward investment into Glasgow, and, as a result of that, £150 million of economic value added for the region. How will you ensure that that translates into tangible benefits for the people who live here in Glasgow, beyond just the joy of hosting the Games?”

“BBC Scotland TV news reported this morning on this Committee hearing, so there is real interest in the Commonwealth Games. You are confident that you are going to secure that, are you?”

“Cost-neutral?”

“For the people who live in Yoker in my West Dunbartonshire constituency, what benefit do they get from the Games?”

“In the scaled-back Games, there is no marathon and no cycling road race—there are no road-based events. As I understand it, previously the public could watch or get a glimpse of the Commonwealth Games at no cost. How did you work out how to balance the pricing of the tickets? Do you think that the costs are affordable,…”

“There is a part of Glasgow in my West Dunbartonshire constituency. What do I say to my constituents who live there? What tangible benefit will be they get from the Games?”

“Has the scaled-back nature of the event had an impact on your ability to secure a live UK broadcaster?”

“Can you provide an update on progress in securing a UK television broadcaster—a live broadcaster rather than a broadcaster of recorded highlights—for the Games? As I understand it, for Glasgow 2014 that was all arranged three years in advance, and for Birmingham 2022 it was done two years in advance. I appreciate that …”

“What are the plans for the Commonwealth Games baton? I read somewhere that there are going to be 74 individual batons, one for every nation. What are the plans for Scotland’s Commonwealth Games baton? Will it be coming to West Dunbartonshire?”

“In the scaled-back Games, there is no marathon and no cycling road race—there are no road-based events. As I understand it, previously the public could watch or get a glimpse of the Commonwealth Games at no cost. How did you work out how to balance the pricing of the tickets? Do you think that the costs are affordable,…”

“Has the hotel accommodation been booked for the athletes at this stage? Are we convinced that Glasgow has the hotel capacity? I think the date of the Commonwealth Games is slap bang in the middle of the Glasgow Fair in the summer. Does that leave enough capacity for spectators travelling to Scotland and Glasgow to view…”