Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 27 January 2016
27 Jan 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Education (Attainment Gap)
I am sorry, but I am really pushed for time.
Our approach would also provide a lesser fund to nurseries for free nursery place entitlement. After all, Mr McArthur is right to point out that, as all the evidence suggests, intervention must take place as early as possible.
What would be the benefit of all that? In the Borders, which I have already mentioned, primary schools would share £860,000. East Ayrshire—a council area where at the moment only six primary schools benefit—would get £1.9 million and my East Lothian constituency would get almost £1 million, which would mean that every year some schools in my constituency would have a fund of around £85,000 that they could use to employ additional staff or classroom assistants, buy particular equipment, run literacy or numeracy programmes or do whatever the staff and headteachers of those schools think would be possible.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15430, in the name of Liam McArthur, on education. I notify members at the outset that we are very tight ...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I am aware that we have had numerous debates on education, even since the start of the year, but I make no apology for returning to the subject. Education, a...
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
For clarity, and for members who were not involved in the informal discussion in the Education and Culture Committee, will Liam McArthur confirm that the ind...
Liam McArthur
LD
I think that that is exactly what I said in my opening remarks. Scottish National Party ministers never tire of lecturing other parties on the need to offer ...
Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
I will not, at the moment. There would also be an opportunity to deliver on ministers’ promises on early learning and childcare. Currently, a mere 7 per cen...
Chic Brodie
SNP
Given their history on tuition fees, I am always somewhat apprehensive about a Liberal Democrat talking about finances for education. How much would the pupi...
Liam McArthur
LD
I have explained that the 1p increase would deliver an extra £475 million a year to education. As a former spokesman on finance for the Liberal Democrats, I ...
The Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages (Dr Alasdair Allan)
SNP
Two weeks ago in Parliament, the cabinet secretary set out the Government’s determination to focus on the twin aims of excellence and equity in our education...
Liam McArthur
LD
The minister has set out the funding that is available and has explained the “relentless focus” on those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, but he will be ...
Dr Allan
SNP
In addition to the local authority-based approach, 57 schools have been identified and, beyond that, there are many sources of intervention in the lives of i...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I rise to move the amendment in my name and, in truth, not in any great opposition to the motion from the Liberal Democrats because—Liam McArthur alluded to ...
Stewart Maxwell
SNP
Will the member give way?
Iain Gray
Lab
I am sorry, but I am really pushed for time. Our approach would also provide a lesser fund to nurseries for free nursery place entitlement. After all, Mr Mc...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Draw to a close, please.
Iain Gray
Lab
Schools in the Borders and East Ayrshire would benefit to the tune of over £100,000 a year. The proposal would lead to a transformational change in the futu...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Thank you. I am afraid that I must reiterate that we are very short of time. 15:02
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
We are delighted that the Liberals have chosen this topic for debate, because it is incumbent on all of us, ahead of the election, to set out our manifesto s...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Will you draw to a close, please?
Liz Smith
Con
However, we can use the supplementary financial memorandum to drill down further into that. The Scottish Conservatives are happy to put before the electorate...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We move to the open debate. I ask for speeches of four minutes, please. 15:07
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Recently, Parliament has dedicated a considerable amount of time to educational attainment, and it is quite right that we have done so. I am sure that the am...
Iain Gray
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Stewart Maxwell
SNP
I do not have the time—I apologise. However, a recent YouGov survey of teachers in England found that less than half of teachers believe that the pupil prem...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Before I call our next speaker, I remind members that the code of conduct requires that no member in the chamber turn their back on the Presiding Officer. 1...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I agree with Stewart Maxwell that a range of factors will be important in closing the attainment gap. Those factors include the school buildings and faciliti...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You must close.
Alex Rowley
Lab
We can learn a lot from authorities that have brought about major improvement and focused that improvement. In conclusion, I think that we have to start loo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I would appreciate members trying to keep to their four minutes. 15:16
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
Our aim is to have an excellent and equitable education system in which every young person throughout the country is able to achieve their full potential reg...