Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 June 2017
15 Jun 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Education Governance
With no disrespect to Mr Johnson, I say that I suspect that we could have a long parliamentary committee session exploring the detail of those questions. They are all valid points to raise.
Let me say two things. First, some of the questions that Mr Johnson asks are material to the composition of initial teacher education courses. He knows from my appearance at the Education and Skills Committee that I have a question in mind about variability in those components. That is an issue that we need to explore with the colleges of education.
Secondly, whatever steps we take on any of the detailed questions that Mr Johnson raises, we must have assurance on the quality of the propositions. That is why there must be an academic partner and GTCS assessment of the particular routes, so that we can be satisfied that the quality of the route into teaching is of a sufficiently high standard. We need to have confidence that in identifying a new route into teaching, which may be shorter, quality is not compromised in any way.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by John Swinney on education governance—next steps. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of his stat...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
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Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
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John Swinney
SNP
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Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
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John Swinney
SNP
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There are 13 more members who want to ask questions—the clue is in the word “questions”. I call Jenny Gilruth, to be followed by Jeremy Balfour.
Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
SNP
I remind members that I am the parliamentary liaison officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. Is the cabinet secretary aware of the recent...
John Swinney
SNP
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Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
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John Swinney
SNP
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James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
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John Swinney
SNP
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Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Regarding the cabinet secretary’s remarks about alternative routes to teaching, can he say what the minimum amount of time spent in lectures and on supervise...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, Mr Johnson. One question, not a whole sequence of them.
John Swinney
SNP
With no disrespect to Mr Johnson, I say that I suspect that we could have a long parliamentary committee session exploring the detail of those questions. The...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
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John Swinney
SNP
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Cabinet secretary, you are speaking away from your microphone. I know that you are doing so out of politeness to a member who is sitting at the back, but no ...
John Swinney
SNP
I apologise because that was disrespectful to you, Presiding Officer. I was in St Thomas’ RC primary school in the east end of Glasgow at Smithycroft, on M...
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for giving us advance sight of his statement. He began by saying that headteachers do not want to become chief administra...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I hope that you heard my sigh.
Ross Greer
Green
I did, Presiding Officer. That was my question.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Yes. You have asked your question. Please sit down.
John Swinney
SNP
I reiterate to Mr Greer that I have absolutely no intention of turning headteachers into chief administrators of their schools—I want them to be leaders of l...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I agree with the cabinet secretary’s direction of travel but not his logic on Education Scotland. Will he confirm that under the proposals, education regions...
John Swinney
SNP
I do not accept that characterisation. I am happy to discuss those questions in some detail, because I do not think that Mr Scott and I are in disagreement i...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
Does the cabinet secretary agree that moves by councils such as the Labour-Tory-run North Lanarkshire Council to divert pupil equity funding from its intende...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, no. You have had your question, Mr MacGregor.
Fulton MacGregor
SNP
—at the decision of the administration in North Lanarkshire to cut hundreds of classroom assistants from schools, removing support from the children and youn...