REFORM FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES NEEDLESSLY DELAYED BY SNP - SMITH

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Jun 2009

Commenting as the Scottish Government today (Tuesday) holds the first in a series of updates for the artistic community on progress to establish the new Creative Scotland body, Liberal Democrat Culture spokesperson Iain Smith MSP said:

"Scotland's creative community deserves more than just an update on Creative Scotland. The SNP Government should be apologising for their incompetent handling of this Bill.

"If Ministers are serious about getting Creative Scotland up and running they should have reintroduced the Bill in January. This Bill could have been passed through Parliament by now.

"Instead, in the last week of the Parliamentary year, Ministers have only brought forward a progress report. Fundamental reform for Scotland's creative industries has been needlessly delayed by the SNP.

"The Culture Minister must explain why the Government has repeatedly refused my request to take part in a cross party meeting to get Creative Scotland moving forward as quickly as possible."

Ends.