Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 26 March 2025
26 Mar 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
We want to get this right, which is why it is important that ministers take all members of Parliament with them on this journey. The SQA is transitioning to qualifications Scotland. I do not think that the member could stand up and tell me how many members will be on the board of that new body, because Parliament has not yet decided on that in the legislation. It should be Parliament and not the Government that decides how we progress the issue.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills stated—I agree with her on this point—that she does not want the Education (Scotland) Bill to be a Government bill but wants it to be a cross-party, cross-Parliament bill. However, at the first hurdle, the Government has now failed on that test. That is why, at decision time this evening, we will abstain on the SSI.
17:34In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-16942, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument. I ask the minister, on b...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Miles Briggs. You have up to three minutes, Mr Briggs. 17:31
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
During consideration of the SSI at the Education, Children and Young People Committee, it became clear that Conservative and Labour members of the committee ...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Does the member agree that the Government is perhaps counting its chickens here? We have been asked to give it powers to appoint to a board that has not yet ...
Miles Briggs
Con
I absolutely agree. With so many pieces of proposed legislation, the Scottish Government has either been incompetent, as with the National Care Service (Scot...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
Does the member agree that it is quite normal for legislation to go through at the same time as a provisional board is approved? From memory, I think that th...
Miles Briggs
Con
We want to get this right, which is why it is important that ministers take all members of Parliament with them on this journey. The SQA is transitioning to ...
The Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans (Graeme Dey)
SNP
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is representing Scotland at the international summit on the teaching profession, along with the Educational In...
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
The cabinet secretary gave a significant commitment to members across parties that she would be very open to changing the legislation, although we are yet to...
Graeme Dey
SNP
I re-read the Official Report of the committee session before coming to the chamber—all 40 minutes’ worth of it—and it was quite clear that each of the membe...
Miles Briggs
Con
Will the minister give way?
Graeme Dey
SNP
Yes, I will give way.
Miles Briggs
Con
Does the minister accept that the timetabling would work much better if we had the opportunity to get the Parliament’s view at stage 2? We could then see wha...
Graeme Dey
SNP
With respect to Mr Briggs, that reflects the fact that minds were made up and were never going to be changed, regardless of the assurances that the cabinet s...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The session that the Education, Children and Young People Committee had was useful. The minister knows that committees are entitled to up to 90 minutes to di...
Graeme Dey
SNP
It is an interesting argument, given that I think that Mr Ross and the rest of the committee voted for the bill’s principles.
Douglas Ross
Con
If significant amendments were made.
Graeme Dey
SNP
I acknowledge the potential for significant amendment, but nevertheless committee members supported the bill’s principles. To answer the specific point abo...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question on the motion will be put at decision time. The next item of business is consideration of four Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask Jamie Hepbur...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question on the motions will be put at decision time.