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In February we reported that the BBC would back the creation of more dramas, comedies and factual content in Scotland as part of a new deal.

It had signed an agreement with Screen Scotland to create more programmes for UK and international audiences.

The move meant the BBC would commit to delivering three dramas, three comedies and three "high-impact" factual series from Scotland every year.

Director General Tony Hall announced the deal at the official launch of the BBC Scotland TV channel.

Read more here

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Mr Greer asks about plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with Channel 4.

Ms Davis says she is very happy one has been signed with the BBC and is looking forward to signing one with Channel 4, but adds there is not a date yet.

Beyond Channel 4 there are a number of other partners in the mix she adds.

Ms Davis explains there are conversations ongoing with STV for example.

Green MSP Ross Greer asks about industry consultation in the development of Screen Scotland's business plan.

It has come directly from the work done between government and industry, replies Ms Davis.

Industry has indicated by and large they are happy with our direction of travel she adds.

The Screen Scotland director tells the committee the skills strategy and creative media network brings together industry, Skills Development Scotland and colleges.

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Last December we reported that enormous industrial building in the Port of Leith had been identified as the home of a major film and television studio for Scotland.

Screen Scotland, the publicly-funded body tasked with boosting the industry, is trying to find the right private developer to take it on.

It has launched a tender process for a developer to lease, refurbish and run the "big blue shed" port building.

Screen Scotland said the studio could be up and running by the end of 2019.

• Farmer wins film studio land row case
• Read more here

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Ms Baker asks if there is an update on the Port of Leith studio development.

Isabel Davis from Screen Scotland replies there are very advanced negotiations with advances every day.

Ms Davis says she is hopeful the studio will be operational by the end of this year.

She points out there has been a huge number of enquiries about using the facility.

The Screen Scotland representative tells the MSPs a number of areas are being looked at for further facilities.

SNP MSP Stuart McMillan asks about support for traditional instruments like fiddles and bagpipes.

Mr Munro says a range of organisations are supported by Creative Scotland for this activity.

Instrumental tuition is complementary to the work we do through the Youth Music Initiative, he adds.

Labour MSP Claire Baker asks about resources and timescales attached to changes to regular funding.

Mr Munro explains there are challenges relating to Creative Scotland's budget, with 86% going towards regularly funded organisations.

Enhanced resources would lead to a transformational effect he argues.

Image source, Scottish Youth Theatre

Ms McAlpine asks about organisations that are very important to the national culture infrastructure, citing the row about the funding for the Scottish Youth Theatre, external.

Last year the Scottish Youth Theatre was been given a financial life-line thanks to a deal involving public money.

The Scottish government offered £150,000 which matched pledges of cash from the private sector.

The theatre had announced its likely closure after failing to secure regular funding from Creative Scotland.

Mr Munro says there have been discussions with the government about the national culture infrastructure.

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Last July the chief executive of Creative Scotland quit in the wake of the arts body receiving heavy criticism over its funding decisions.

Janet Archer gave no reason for her decision in a statement confirming she was to step down, external.

She said it had been an honour to serve the country's artists and creative industries for the last five years.

Two Creative Scotland board members resigned in a row over its latest round of funding.

And an inquiry by a Holyrood committee concludedthat Creative Scotland's funding system falls "well below" the standard expected of a public body.

• Arts funding system 'below standard'
• Creative Scotland board members resign
• Read more here

Mr Munro says the post-decision aftercare is an important aspect of the process to be able to sensitively engage with organisations disappointed in the outcome of their application.

Opening up the process and allowing people to see and understand how it operates will be helpful in this, he adds.

Ms McAlpine asks about giving organisations time to prepare for any change.

Mr Munro says communication and engagement will improve transition, but adds that Creative Scotland is not yet at the point yet because it does not know the final model.

Pauline McLean
BBC Scotland Arts Correspondent

Image source, MIHAELA BODLOVIC

"Creative Scotland's board has promised to make serious changes to the way it operates after admitting it has made mistakes."

Sound familiar? Not the words of the board following the resignation of CEO Janet Archer, but a statement from the board of December 2012, following the resignation of the previous CEO, Andrew Dixon.

There's a strange sense of Deja Vu about this. Back then, the row began about a change to funding for 49 organisations, many of them well established, which in the words of cultural commentator Joyce Macmillan took them, with little warning, from "modest security" to "complete insecurity".

The fallout was instant and angry. Artists demanding a shake up of the entire funding system.

Read more here

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Committee convener Joan McAlpine asks what Creative Scotland has learned from the Wavehill report, external.

Iain Munro from Creative Scotland says he has been reflecting on the report quite heavily.

Mr Munro says longer funding cycles are being considered.

He accepts the "one size fits all model" is particularly challenging and the process is seen as too onerous by many organisations.

A two stage funding application process might be lighter touch, adds the acting chief executive of Creative Scotland.

He also accepts the process can be opaque and stresses the importance of transparency and more open engagement.

Image source, UNIVERSAL PICTURES/PA

The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, external will now take evidence from Creative Scotland and Screen Scotland.

MSPs will quiz:

• Iain Munro from Creative Scotland, external
• Isabel Davis from Screen Scotland, external

Mr Greene explains his next amendment seeks to ensure there is a review of the census questions and the impact on answers.

Green MSP Ross Greer asks whether this would only lead to a review of the questions on transgender status and sexual orientation, and not on any possible future changes.

The Tory MSP accepts the point and agrees he would not want to limit it, but the bill team suggested it would not be technically possible.

The cabinet secretary highlights the Census Act 1920 already required reports to be made and expresses concern that the amendment places the onus on Scottish ministers instead of the Registrar-General.

Mr Greene withdraws the amendment.

Image source, NATIONAL RECORDS OF SCOTLAN

There is a big debate over the mandatory "sex question", which currently asks if the respondent is male or female.

National Records of Scotland suggested that the sex question for 2021 should "provide non-binary options" - although they stressed that it "will not seek a declaration of biological or legal sex".

So the options on the census paper could be "male", "female", or "other", with a box for people to write in.

When questioned by the committee, head of census statistics Amy Wilson told MSPs that the actual data output would still be "on a male and female basis" - so they would "randomly assign people back into the male and female categories" if they ticked the "other" box.

This led Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop to ask: "If we are not going to use non-binary data as non-binary data and are just going to use binary information, why ask the question in the first place?"

Read more here

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Tory MSP Jamie Greene speaks to his amendment 5 on guidance issued by the Registrar-General for Scotland.

Mr Greene points out we don't know what the questions in the census will be and he says he feels it is important that explicit guidance show how they should be answered.

He says it must be made clear that neglecting to provide those particulars in response to the gender question will not lead to a penalty.

Ms Hyslop agrees these sensitive questions will be voluntary and the purpose of this bill is to remove the penalty applied if not answered.

However she says Mr Greene's amendment is not necessary as it will be made clear that the questions are voluntary.

The Tory MSP does not press his amendment.

The legislation underpinning the census was penned in 1920, providing for questions about topics including age, sex, occupation, nationality and race. At present, only questions about religion are voluntary.

Extra topics are frequently added - for example in 2011 five new questions featured, including on national identity and long-term health conditions - but legislation is needed if they are to be posed on a voluntary basis.

This is what the current bill is for. It is a pretty basic bill, simply providing for the possibility of these questions - the detail of what would actually be asked would be decided at a later date.

However, this was still the basis for much of the debate when the culture committee was taking evidence.

So while the legislation is about voluntary questions, it has sparked a wider debate about what exactly people could be asked in the 2021 census.

The government wants to gather extra data about sexual orientation and identity, to better inform thinking and policy about different communities and groups.

The census is the most comprehensive source of demographic data available to the government, and because the surveys are held every 10 years, changes to the questions often reflect shifting social attitudes.

There was talk of including questions on sexual orientation in the 2011 census, but the government's policy memorandum claims that "the level of public acceptance of the question was not considered sufficient" at that time.

Since then, ministers say research and consultation has identified a "need for data on sexual orientation and gender identity, especially transgender status and history".

When talking about "trans" people, the National Records of Scotland - which conducts the census - defines it as being "an umbrella term for anyone whose gender expression does not fully correspond with the sex they were assigned with at birth".

The Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill was put forward to open the door to questions on these topics.

Ms Hyslop explains her amendments seek to deal with the perceived conflation of sex and gender identity.

National Records of Scotland worked with the Equality Network and other stakeholders on the amendments, she adds.

The is currently limited evidence on the experience of transgender people and the census would take a leading role to gather evidence, the cabinet secretary explains.

All four of her amendments are agreed.