Chamber
Plenary, 27 Nov 2008
27 Nov 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
A Framework for Science
We should be honoured that one of the prestigious professors of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has agreed to join the judging board for the saltire prize. I understand that further details of the prize will be announced next week. It is attracting great international attention and focuses on Scotland's capabilities for renewable energy. We should all pull together to support that.
The member asked about funding. In this comprehensive spending review period, the Government is investing a greater proportion of its overall budget in our universities and colleges than the previous Administration did. Universities asked us to ensure that the profiling of the resources was extended so that there were increases in the later years of the spending review rather than the early years, and we took a responsive attitude towards that request.
I agree with Jeremy Purvis that the connections between enterprise and the local economy are vital. Knowledge exchange must not only reach for high-profile proposals—particularly proposals in life sciences, such as those that we see at Little France—but penetrate deeply into our economy, particularly our small and medium-sized enterprises. The biggest challenge is stimulating the demand for science at SME level. That can happen not only with universities but with colleges. Part of the knowledge exchange agenda is to progress that with colleges and universities.
The member asked about funding. In this comprehensive spending review period, the Government is investing a greater proportion of its overall budget in our universities and colleges than the previous Administration did. Universities asked us to ensure that the profiling of the resources was extended so that there were increases in the later years of the spending review rather than the early years, and we took a responsive attitude towards that request.
I agree with Jeremy Purvis that the connections between enterprise and the local economy are vital. Knowledge exchange must not only reach for high-profile proposals—particularly proposals in life sciences, such as those that we see at Little France—but penetrate deeply into our economy, particularly our small and medium-sized enterprises. The biggest challenge is stimulating the demand for science at SME level. That can happen not only with universities but with colleges. Part of the knowledge exchange agenda is to progress that with colleges and universities.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a statement by Fiona Hyslop on a framework for science in Scotland. The cabinet secretary will take questions at ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Fiona Hyslop):
SNP
Change happens progressively over time, but a clear vision and a well-understood sense of direction are crucial.Just over a year ago, the Government set out ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The cabinet secretary will take questions on the issues raised in her statement. We have exactly 20 minutes available for those questions, after which we mus...
Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the statement and the science strategy, which has been a long time in coming. Much of it takes forward the important work that Labour and the Liber...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Rhona Brankin has a positive way of promoting her case.The science strategy sits alongside the innovation strategy. As I said in my statement, the science st...
Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for prior sight of the statement, and I assure her that the Scottish Conservatives will support the overall objective of boosti...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The first question was on the numbers, and that is the challenge. We currently have about 30,000 sixth year pupils, and only about 3,000 would probably be el...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement, which came with a helpful quotation at the top that the cabinet secretary did not ...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
We should be honoured that one of the prestigious professors of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has agreed to join the judging board for the saltire prize. I...
Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the cabinet secretary reassure me that, with all the emphasis that is being placed on science, the background that engineers require in later life will ...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The answer is yes. Indeed, as was reflected in my answer to Elizabeth Smith's question, the baccalaureate focuses on science, engineering, technology and mat...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
Does the cabinet secretary share my view that it is crucial to bring together our scientific communities in universities and industry to create high-value co...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I agree absolutely. Maureen Watt visited Lifescan Scotland only recently. We have a comparative and competitive advantage in Scotland because of the collabor...
Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP):
SNP
The cabinet secretary has highlighted the need to increase the research and development that take place in Scotland. What role does she envisage the enterpri...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The integration of enterprise work is critical. Joe FitzPatrick welcomed the announcement that the Scottish institute for cell signalling was to be establish...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
The cabinet secretary mentioned the joint future thinking task force. The other week, it faced concerns that there is no new money and that the horizon fund ...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
We are all operating within the budgets of the current spending review—everybody is aware of that—but we have given a clear indication of the direction in wh...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD):
LD
Half a million women in the UK are qualified in science, engineering or technology but less than a third work in those sectors, all of which already suffer s...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
That is an appropriate question. We need role models in science for young women. We have no better such role model than Professor Anne Glover, who is the Gov...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
The development of wind and wave power provides Scotland with the single biggest manufacturing, technical and scientific opportunity that it has had in 100 y...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The saltire prize will help to showcase the capability in that industry. However, ensuring that we have the necessary technical expertise at all levels—not o...
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
The cabinet secretary described the low proportion of commercial R and D that takes place in Scotland. Does she agree that Scotland's contribution may have b...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Dr Ian McKee raises an interesting point. I would like that to be the case, but we must deal with the statistics that we have. Indeed, various parliamentary ...