Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 26 May 2020
26 May 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Covid-19 (Education)
In one of the answers that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity gave earlier this afternoon, he indicated that he and I are in active discussion around the whole issue of school transport and its interrelationship with some of the wider issues that Mr Matheson wrestles with in relation to support for the bus industry and how it operates around the country.
The issues with physical distancing are as relevant on school transport as they are in the school estate and will be actively discussed at local level. The issues will be challenging to resolve, particularly for rural areas such as the areas that Christine Grahame represents; indeed, the issues are very significant for the areas in Perthshire that I represent.
I assure Christine Grahame that those issues are very much at the heart of discussions. As I indicated in my statement, a number of practical elements of the arrangements will vary from area to area across the country, so we need to ensure that there is appropriate opportunity for local flexibility in deploying those elements, where that is necessary.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by John Swinney. The cabinet secretary, who is joining us remotely, will take questions at the end of his statement,...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to update Parliament on the phased reopening of schools and early learning and childcare settings in Scotland, as set out in “Coron...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. I intend to allow approximately 30 minutes for questions.
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of his statement and add my thanks to the teachers, parents and young people who find themselves in the most ...
John Swinney
SNP
Mr Greene has posed a range of questions and I will give some answers across them all. My view is that the 11 August date for the start of term is set in s...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I echo the cabinet secretary’s recognition of the efforts of parents and carers, teachers and young people themselves during the period of school closure. No...
John Swinney
SNP
Earlier today, I published the latest scientific advice that we have; I hope that Mr Gray and parliamentary colleagues find that to be of assistance. I am co...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We move on to open questions. I have a lot of requests and we will also have quite a lot of remote contributions. Members should bear that in mind and try no...
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for his statement. I note his comments about the investment in digital and about vulnerable children. The barriers facing vuln...
John Swinney
SNP
One of the key priorities of the locally delivered approach that we have taken in the national framework that I have set out to Parliament today is to ensure...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The Scottish Government has announced that it is having to spend £9 million so that 25,000 laptops can be provided to disadvantaged children to support home ...
John Swinney
SNP
That is the subject of active discussion with local authorities. The 25,000 laptops have been ordered and we await their delivery so that we can make them av...
Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Many parents made sacrifices to be able to afford to send their children on school trips this term. Many low-income families will have put themselves into de...
John Swinney
SNP
I recognise the seriousness of the issue that Mr Bibby raises. I give an undertaking today that we will pursue that issue with our local authority colleagues...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the cabinet secretary’s statement. Given the difficulties for parents who are working if their children are at home, will this mean that the childr...
John Swinney
SNP
On Mr Gibson’s first point, there has to be equity of access to education for young people. That is one of the fundamental principles of Scottish education; ...
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
This coming term, from August, young people are set to spend less time in school than at any point in modern history, which the Deputy First Minister acknowl...
John Swinney
SNP
There is a general view within Scottish education of the importance of our having reliable and certificated qualifications for all as part of the way in whic...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I return to a point that Mr Gibson made with regard to teachers who have children who are at school. Will teachers whose children are still at school go to s...
John Swinney
SNP
Local discretion and planning is the most appropriate level at which those judgments should be made. A multiplicity of issues will affect the availability o...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
I welcomed the offer from the Scottish Government to support blended learning by providing laptops and broadband for young people who require them, because t...
John Swinney
SNP
That is one of the issues that we are considering in relation to the other resources that are available to us, which I talked about earlier. We will actively...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Scotland’s teachers work long hours at the best of times. How will the balance of blended learning work, given the demands of teaching children in the classr...
John Swinney
SNP
The judgment on the need for local teachers to supplement the existing workforce will be arrived at at local authority level. I have indicated a number of ti...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
In Edinburgh Southern, there are four schools with school rolls that are above capacity, and a further four that have rolls of more than 95 per cent. Even wi...
John Swinney
SNP
We have committed to discuss those issues with local authorities. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance is sighted on the discussions that it has been agreed wil...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I refer to the local phasing delivery plan. In my rural constituency, there is a key role for local bus companies in transporting pupils to school. Given tha...
John Swinney
SNP
In one of the answers that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity gave earlier this afternoon, he indicated that he and I are i...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I remind members that my eldest daughter is a secondary school teacher. The cabinet secretary will be aware that many teachers have raised the issue of losi...
John Swinney
SNP
One of the steps that I have taken during the crisis is to discuss with local authorities the need to maintain contact with some of the most vulnerable young...