Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 12 August 2020
12 Aug 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Return to School
This is a welcome day, as schools return. I want to pay tribute to teachers, school staff and council officials who have worked so hard to make it happen. Of course, it was made even more challenging when weeks of planning for blended learning and social distancing were overturned at the last minute, but they did it and we can celebrate schools reopening today.
Above all, let me wish pupils the best of luck. They have had a hard time, and returning will be tough in many ways, too. I offer a special word for those who are starting school for the first time ever today. Indulge me, Presiding Officer, if I mention Leo and Soren—my own grandsons, who are in day 1 of primary 1 today. [Applause.] Pictures are available.
Mr Swinney referred to the EIS survey that showed that most teachers support the return, and that is true. However, it also showed—and he acknowledged this—that only one in five is comfortable with the mitigations that are in place. More testing will certainly help, but what further mitigations will be explored? Since smaller class sizes is clearly a mitigation that could help, how many extra teachers does Mr Swinney believe are actually in place?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
Before we get on to business, I remind members of that thing called social distancing, because it appears that we have not been too good at it at some points...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
The day our children start school for the first time is a moment that every parent remembers. However, I am aware that, in some parts of the country, althoug...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I intend to allow about 40 minutes for questions on the cabinet secretary’s statement. That sounds like a lot, but 21 members want to ask questions, so the u...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I, too, pay tribute to those who have worked relentlessly to keep schools open during the lockdown and to get them reopened, reacting quickly to policy shift...
John Swinney
SNP
The first of Jamie Greene’s three questions is on school safety. That is a fundamental question. The issue of physical distancing has been considered at leng...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There are two members who appear to want to ask questions, but who have not pressed their request-to-speak buttons. If you do not press them, I will not call...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
This is a welcome day, as schools return. I want to pay tribute to teachers, school staff and council officials who have worked so hard to make it happen. Of...
John Swinney
SNP
I wish Mr Gray’s grandchildren well as they start school, and I am sure that it has been a very exciting day. I hope that they got some sleep last night, whi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I hope that we can now move on a little more swiftly with questions and answers.
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance sight of his statement. I have two brief questions. The enhanced surveillance testing programme is welcome, but...
John Swinney
SNP
On Ross Greer’s first question, the enhanced surveillance programme is taking time for us to build up. Our experience throughout the pandemic is that we have...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Following Iain Gray’s question about extra staff, I want to know how long it will be before all the extra staff are on the ground. People need security, so w...
John Swinney
SNP
Those detailed recruitment issues are for local government. The Scottish Government does not employ teachers; we allocate resources. We have reached an agree...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I have been a bit easy on multiple questions from members but, unfortunately, that means that the cabinet secretary has to take longer to answer. That eats i...
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
SNP
I want to ask the cabinet secretary about wellbeing, which he mentioned in his opening statement. These are unprecedented times, before which there was alre...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There were a couple of questions in there. Perhaps we will get to having just one question, at some point.
John Swinney
SNP
A number of schools have existing relationships with organisations that support the wellbeing of their staff. At Monifieth high school this morning, I heard ...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I am sure that we all hope that blended learning, even restricted to localised clusters, will not be necessary. However, in the event that it is necessary, i...
John Swinney
SNP
I have tried to make it clear to Jamie Halcro Johnston that the Government cannot distribute laptops to individual pupils: that is for local authorities and ...
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
SNP
Will the cabinet secretary confirm that, despite the specifics of the advice to schools, the overall guiding principles for pupils, teachers and parents are ...
John Swinney
SNP
It is important that the guidance be put in place and that it is followed assiduously at local level to ensure safe reopening of schools. We have to make sur...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the additional mitigation measures for teachers and other school staff. I have been contacted by a parent who is concerned about face coverings. S...
John Swinney
SNP
We have had specialist advice from the expert advisory group on that issue, and the position that is set out in the guidance reflects that advice. That said,...
Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the cabinet secretary’s announcement today regarding testing if required or requested. In the chamber, exactly seven weeks ago on 24 June, I asked...
John Swinney
SNP
I think that parents in general want their children back at school, because they understand and can see the significant benefits to their children and young ...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Last night, I hosted a Zoom call with local parent councils. Although they welcome the reopening of schools, their question is this: if circumstances arise i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I thought that we were getting single questions, but there we go.
John Swinney
SNP
If a school has two positive cases in a 14-day period, that will be defined as an outbreak. In the event of there being any positive cases in a school, the s...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
I ask this question as a father of a kid who went into primary 2 today. I thank his school and North Lanarkshire Council for all that they have done to make ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr MacGregor, I understand, but please ask a question.