Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 November 2012
22 Nov 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Further Education
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-04914, in the name of Michael Russell, on further education. Cabinet secretary, you have 14 minutes. 14:30
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Michael Russell)
SNP
On Tuesday, I apologised to the chamber for the answer that I gave to Mr Malik on 28 June. I repeat that apology now. The mistake should not have happened an...
Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
LD
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Michael Russell
SNP
Could I just make a little bit of progress?I want to encourage a genuine dialogue that seeks to intensify our national focus on meeting the genuine needs of ...
Willie Rennie
LD
I agree with Mr Russell whole-heartedly about moving forward on the challenges that face the colleges but after all the events of recent weeks, does he belie...
Michael Russell
SNP
I do, and I shall explain that in my speech. I thank the member for his intervention.In having the type of debate that we have to have, we must start by reco...
Gavin Brown (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Michael Russell
SNP
Can I just make some progress, please? I have a lot to say and I will bring the member in.Yes, funding is tight and decisions are hard, so how we react to th...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
On the cabinet secretary’s point about the wider view, given that he now admits that his budget was cut in last year’s negotiations with his Cabinet colleagu...
Michael Russell
SNP
The strategy, as ever, is to continue to deliver for the young people of Scotland; that is my focus, and it will continue to be my focus.Within that context,...
Gavin Brown
Con
The cabinet secretary said that he has found an extra £17 million for the 2013-14 budget. If the 2012-13 budget was £546 million, as he claims, and the draft...
Michael Russell
SNP
I think that I have laid out those figures to the best of my ability—Interruption.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Order.
Michael Russell
SNP
As I said, I laid out those figures to the best of my ability. Answers were given to members by the First Minister today, and I am endeavouring to ensure tha...
Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Can the cabinet secretary cast his mind back and point to a year during the period when Labour was in power when we had such a crisis in our colleges?
Michael Russell
SNP
It is sometimes hard to remember, because there were so many crises under Labour. I point out that reform is essential. I would have thought, given the fondn...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Michael Russell
SNP
No, I am sorry. I must make some progress.The colleges have achieved what they have—and I pay tribute to them—because, as the Auditor General for Scotland’s ...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
It seems that barely a day goes by without there being apologies offered to the chamber or attempts made to surreptitiously amend the Official Report, so in ...
Margo MacDonald (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
Will the member give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
I certainly will.
Margo MacDonald
Ind
I am not going to apologise for anything. The member has just said that additional money is needed for teaching. I agree, but where will it come from?
Liam McArthur
LD
I rather expected that question from the SNP back benches, but nevertheless it is clear that after the budget last year, £250 million-worth of announcements ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney)
SNP
He gives no answer.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Order.
Liam McArthur
LD
Nevertheless, the results of the Government’s spending are choices that it has made. The risk of the shambles of the last few days and weeks is that it distr...
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
I wonder whether he is one of the college principals who are so terrified by the cabinet secretary that they are afraid to speak out against the Government.
Liam McArthur
LD
Given that he is the chair and not the principal, I suspect that his job is not on the line in quite the same way.That is not a healthy relationship or one t...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Liam McArthur
LD
I have got to make progress.The authors of that report highlight the substantial value of the college sector to the Scottish economy, which is potentially up...