Education, Children and Young People Committee 19 November 2025
Good morning to the committee and to Liz Smith. I set out at the start my thanks to the member in charge for the way in which she has engaged on the bill and with members across the chamber. It has been really helpful to have that on-going dialogue and the advice support, as that has helped me to understand the bill’s purpose and how we can make sure that it meets the needs of all learners in Scotland. As members will know, that has been one of the focuses in my and my party’s approach to the bill. We are supportive of the right to residential outdoor education and the bill, and we are pleased to see it progressing to this stage. Thank you, Liz, for the engagement to date.
If it is okay with the convener, I will start with amendment 28 and then talk to the other amendments in the group. Amendments 1 and 2 are consequential to amendment 28, which seeks to insert a provision in the bill to make it clear that engagement of teachers and associated professionals in courses of residential outdoor learning will continue to take place on a voluntary basis. The introduction of the statutory obligation on education authorities under the new section 6A of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 would not affect the terms and conditions of employment of Scottish teachers and associated professionals, which are collectively bargained through the arrangements that are set out in the constitution of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. We know that currently teachers and staff in schools play a key role in the organisation and planning of activities outwith school, including residential trips, and play a lead role in such activities in partnership with other school staff and parents. That role is often performed on a voluntary basis and it is pivotal to the experience of outdoor education for a number of young people.