Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-03295, in the name of Angela Constance, on young people and economic growth. I advise members that the de...

The Minister for Youth Employment (Angela Constance) SNP

Last December, President Barroso, in response to growing unemployment across Europe, urged all member states to develop youth job plans, increase apprentices...

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab) Lab

Will the jobs that the minister announced in the enterprise companies be new posts, or will the young people concerned replace older workers in those posts?

Angela Constance SNP

As Kenneth Macintosh knows, many organisations across the public sector are living with the reality of shrinking workforces. We know, as he should know, that...

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

The minister mentioned that she is spending £70 million on modern apprenticeships. The Parliament has to be accountable for that money. How many of the peopl...

Angela Constance SNP

I know that Mr Findlay is a relatively new MSP but he, like everybody else in the chamber, should know that to be an apprentice in Scotland someone already h...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

Interventions from a sedentary position are not welcome.

Angela Constance SNP

In fact, we are doing three things differently. We are doing it bigger, we are doing it better, and we are increasing the priority given to 16 to 24-year-old...

Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

It may surprise the minister that Labour has a real willingness to work with the SNP Government on young people and economic growth. That is why, as a party,...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Kezia Dugdale Lab

I have spoken for literally 15 seconds. Mr FitzPatrick should give me a few more minutes to move on.We will support the minister’s motion today. Labour’s ame...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Michael Russell) SNP

If I was furious in any way, it was the fury of disappointment that a member of the Labour Party who attended the youth summit and who I thought would work w...

Kezia Dugdale Lab

The reality is that the figures did not simply magic themselves into a Labour press release; they came from Skills Development Scotland, and they represent a...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

Which of those 10,000 people should not get the opportunity of a modern apprenticeship?

Kezia Dugdale Lab

We would not take those opportunities away from young people. I will come back to Mr FitzPatrick’s point shortly with a suggestion about how the Government c...

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention on that point?

Kezia Dugdale Lab

No. I am sorry, but there is a lot to get through. Mr Gibson will have the joy of listening to me close the debate as well, so if he speaks in the debate, I ...

Angela Constance SNP

I take seriously any issue that any member of the Scottish Parliament has with an agency over which I have charge. I give the member that commitment.Will the...

Kezia Dugdale Lab

It is interesting that the minister says that this is the first year that SDS has collected figures in such detail. At First Minister’s question time, the Fi...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I welcome this debate on youth employment. I was a lecturer for 20 years before I became an MSP, so I am fully aware of the enormous benefit of training and ...

Michael Russell SNP

I am glad to say that that work is well under way with the college reforms. In particular, I hope that the member will reflect on a core message from Tom Hun...

Mary Scanlon Con

I am delighted about that. There was some criticism about how entrepreneurialism was encouraged in the past, and I am pleased to hear the education secretary...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

You must close now, please.

Mary Scanlon Con

I close by saying that in its last four years, the previous Administration had 3,000 more apprentices per year than this Administration has had in its first ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

We are extremely tight for time, so speeches of six minutes or less, including interventions, will be welcome.15:40

Paul Wheelhouse (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I rise in support of the Scottish Government’s motion. As the minister set out, the SNP in Government has done everything in its power to tackle youth unempl...

Kezia Dugdale Lab

Will the member give way?

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

I will when I finish the quote. It continues:“This meets business requirements, gives more people the opportunity to train to industry standards and reduces ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Forgive me, but the member is in his last minute.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

I apologise to Kezia Dugdale—I had not noticed the time going by.I commend the Government for continuing the adopt-an-apprentice scheme. The Finance Committe...