Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 February 2016
02 Feb 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Education (Scotland) Bill
There is often a debate about outcomes in education. It is important that we talk about outcomes and how they vary depending on a child’s background or where they live. According to Audit Scotland, that is not always about the money that we spend, but it is important to recognise that councils plan a 3.3 per cent increase in cash terms in 2015-16. It is important to recognise that revenue spending on schools and revenue spending per pupil have increased under this SNP Government.
We heard a lot about Labour’s plans today and no doubt we will hear more tomorrow. However, as the Labour leader conceded on the radio this morning, there is no guarantee that the extra revenue that Labour proposes to raise will be spent on education. So here we are: another blunt instrument from Labour—
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15221, in the name of Angela Constance, on the Education (Scotland) Bill. 17:04
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Angela Constance)
SNP
I am pleased to open the stage 3 debate on the Education (Scotland) Bill. I thank members for their contributions this afternoon, and I thank the Finance Com...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
We come to the chamber today to debate the Education (Scotland) Bill in its final form and, in all likelihood, to pass the bill at decision time tonight. I h...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Before I call Mary Scanlon, I will just warn the open-debate speakers that they have three minutes each. Mary Scanlon has up to five minutes. 17:18
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer. First, I have to say that in terms of developing, consulting on and passing the bill, the Scottish Government has fallen far sh...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must close, please.
Mary Scanlon
Con
Finally, I want to say that I am delighted that we now have standardised assessment. I hope that no child will be left behind. I hope that it will be a diagn...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to the open debate, with speeches of up to three minutes, please. 17:23
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am proud of the Government’s record on education. The recent report on Scotland’s schools by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development rev...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
We can make no greater investment than ensuring that our children get the best start in life. We all want Scotland to have a world-class education system to ...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
Like others, I thank everyone who helped the committee in our gathering of evidence. It was more of a challenge than usual, partly because of the eclectic mi...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, welcome the passage of the bill and support what it wants to achieve. As I have said, the Scottish Government is to be commended for putting educatio...
John Pentland (Motherwell and Wishaw) (Lab)
Lab
Some aspects of the legislation are okay as far as they go; with some, it is for the best that they do not go further; and with others, it is a pity that the...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
The Scottish Green Party welcomes the introduction of a duty on ministers to reduce inequalities of outcome, although we would have preferred a focus on incr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We now move to closing speeches. Liz Smith has up to four minutes. 17:40
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
You keep changing the amount of time, Presiding Officer. Mark Griffin made a very interesting point when he opened for the Labour Party. When we look at a ...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Let me start by congratulating the cabinet secretary on getting the Education (Scotland) Bill to this stage and on its imminent approval—I believe—by the Par...
Angela Constance
SNP
I have been a minister for five years and, as chance would have it, this is my first piece of legislation. I am quite sure that, when I get home tonight, my ...
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
You need to close, cabinet secretary.
Angela Constance
SNP
There is often a debate about outcomes in education. It is important that we talk about outcomes and how they vary depending on a child’s background or where...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You need to close, cabinet secretary.
Angela Constance
SNP
By and large, over the weeks and months we have had a constructive debate about the Education (Scotland) Bill, which is very much a new stage of our journey ...