Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 January 2025
22 Jan 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Safety in Schools
I am grateful to the Scottish Conservatives for securing the debate. I am keen to speak to the measures included in their motion in relation to my ministerial responsibilities. In closing the debate, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills will focus on specific actions for schools.
The motion references early learning and childcare provision and refers to “disparity” in provision. I would respectfully challenge that point. The Scottish Government continues to invest around £1 billion a year into delivering 1,140 hours of funded ELC to all eligible children. Scotland is the only part of the United Kingdom to already offer 1,140 hours a year of funded ELC to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, regardless of their parents’ working status. Families across Scotland have been benefiting from that provision since 2021. However, I recognise that there are pressures—
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16170, in the name of Miles Briggs, on delivering school environments where it is safe for pupils to lear...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Last night, I met teachers in Edinburgh at an event that was organised by the Edinburgh branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland to hear first hand ab...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
Miles Briggs talks about national policies, but have teachers and headteachers not been given the power to deal with mobile phones, and is that not better de...
Miles Briggs
Con
There is a huge difference between the guidance that ministers say that councils can develop and, rather than leaving it to individual schools, a national po...
The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise (Natalie Don-Innes)
SNP
I am grateful to the Scottish Conservatives for securing the debate. I am keen to speak to the measures included in their motion in relation to my ministeria...
Miles Briggs
Con
Will Natalie Don-Innes take an intervention?
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
Yes, I will.
Miles Briggs
Con
The minister says that she takes umbrage with the word “disparity”. Probably every member in the Parliament will have written to Government ministers to say ...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
I am going to speak about some of the challenges. In one of the most recent surveys that was undertaken on ELC, 97 per cent of parents were satisfied with t...
Liam Kerr
Con
Will Natalie Don-Innes take an intervention?
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
Can I get the time back, Deputy Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
No, not really.
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
Furthermore, my work on the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 means that I take very seriously Miles Briggs’s reference in the motion to suppor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Let us hear the minister.
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
The First Minister has also written to the UK Government to voice his support for joint working between our Governments to improve online safety. I sincerely...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. We have returned to the issue many times, but the situation persists. NASUWT has said tha...
John Mason
Ind
Will the member give way?
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
Will I get my time back, Deputy Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
No.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
I am sorry, but I am unable to take the intervention. The Government must also address long waits and gaps in provision of key public services, including ch...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to close.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
We believe that that includes classroom design, and the availability of single-sex, accessible, gender-neutral and changing places toilets, because no one ca...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I apologise, but I am afraid that we have no time in hand. Ross Greer—up to four minutes, please. 15:09
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
The challenge of violence in our schools is very real. One of my frustrations with how the debate has developed over the past couple of years is that young p...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
It is too early to judge whether the Scottish Government’s action plan is working, as we have not even got through the first phase of the plan. However, I ha...
Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am grateful to be able to speak on such an important issue. Violent and disruptive behaviour in Scotland’s schools has become an epidemic. In 2023 alone, s...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate. I know that we all agree that having a safe place for our young people to learn in and for our ...
Liam Kerr
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Bill Kidd
SNP
No, thanks. There is no time. When pupils feel that their opinions are valued and taken seriously, they are more likely to feel respected and, as a result, ...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I have always believed that the greatest gift that any society can give a child is access to a good-quality education that gives them the opportunity to achi...