Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 27 April 2017
27 Apr 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
First Minister’s Question Time
Engagements
That is from a First Minister who has cut £170 million out of local services this year alone. If education was her top priority, she would be listening to the teachers across Scotland who are crying out for help. Blackhall primary school in Edinburgh felt the need to email all parents to say:
“As you may be aware, there is currently a national shortage of teachers. This makes it challenging for head teachers around the country who are trying to fill vacant posts or cover classes”.
There is a teacher shortage in Scotland, so will the First Minister be honest? How many schools are struggling like Blackhall? How many teacher vacancies are there across the whole of Scotland?
In the same item of business
2. Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the week. (S5F-01180)
The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
Engagements to take forward the Government’s programme for Scotland.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
Next week, voters will go to the polls to decide the future of local services such as our schools. The First Minister used to claim that education was her nu...
The First Minister
SNP
Education is my top priority. That is why—Interruption. Kezia Dugdale does not like to hear this, but that is why, right now across Scotland, headteachers an...
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
That is from a First Minister who has cut £170 million out of local services this year alone. If education was her top priority, she would be listening to th...
The First Minister
SNP
John Swinney and I and this Government have never shied away from the fact that Scotland—like many countries right now—has an issue with teacher recruitment....
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
In all of that, there was no answer to the question that I asked. I will give the First Minister the answer. There are 700 teacher vacancies in Scotland, and...
The First Minister
SNP
As I said, we recognise the challenge in teacher recruitment. Scotland is not unique in that regard. Kezia Dugdale might not want to listen to this, but that...
Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
SNP
The First Minister will be aware that, last Thursday, Diageo announced plans to cut up to 100 jobs in Scotland, potentially affecting up to 70 workers at its...
The First Minister
SNP
Obviously, I was concerned to learn that Diageo has begun a consultation with the staff over potential job losses at its sites in Leven and Shieldhall, and I...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I declare an interest as a trustee of the St Abbs Lifeboat trust. One of the best examples of a community campaign that I have ever seen was the campaign i...
John Lamont
Con
On Twitter, the First Minister spoke of the “incredible achievement”, of the “community coming together” and of the community having “achieved something real...
John Lamont
Con
Given the exceptional circumstances surrounding this situation, will the First Minister—unlike her back benchers—apply some common sense to this matter?
The First Minister
SNP
The water and sewerage charge of around £900 that has gone to St Abbs Community Trust has already been drawn to my attention. From the investigation into the...