Meeting of the Parliament 21 February 2024
I totally agree with that point. Unnecessary bureaucratic imposts are one of the things that are really holding Scotland back across the range. Incidentally, I was heartened that the new cabinet secretary undertook, in his first statement, that he would seek reform. That is why I am making this speech—because I am trying to be helpful.
The idea of a bond is not new, and it is not mine—I am a practised plagiarist. I suppose that our job is to garner ideas from the public and people who approach us. I was accosted in the street by a somewhat elderly lady who told me of her plans. She kindly sent me a very detailed note, although she is not my constituent, so I cannot take the matter up for her. She described her experience as a teacher in New South Wales in Australia, where teachers who left Australia were required to pay back some of their training costs. I believe that she mentioned other countries that do something similar, but I am no expert on that—the cabinet secretary can get his hordes of civil servants to do the necessary research, I am quite sure.
There were also provisions requiring that the teachers had to go to the outback—to the rural parts of the country. That meant that the schools and the hospitals in rural states in Australia had sufficient provision of personnel. If what I am advocating were to happen, the biggest beneficiaries would be the Highlands and Islands—Beatrice Wishart’s constituents, Mr Eagle’s new constituents and mine. That is why I felt it was appropriate to put forward this case.
I hope that I have made my point. I hope that the Government and the cabinet secretary, with the enthusiasm of a newbie, will adopt the policy. I think that the public would very much welcome it.