Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2025
04 Jun 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Nursery Closures (Aberdeenshire Council)
Education and Skills
Ms Mackay raises an extremely important point. In relation to the challenges, the addressing depopulation action plan sets out the Scottish Government’s strategic approach to supporting local communities that face population decline, of which lack of childcare is an important driver. We have made grants available to local authorities via the fund, and two of those grants focus on addressing childcare issues in areas that are affected by acute population decline. For example, Highland Council is examining the workability of subsidised childminding, and Western Isles Council was granted funding to pilot new models of training in childcare in order to bolster employability.
In the same item of business
5. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government when the children’s minister last met with Aberdeenshire Council to discuss nursery closures. (S6O-04756)
The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise (Natalie Don-Innes)
SNP
As I have explained previously, it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their early learning and childcare estate in consultation w...
Alexander Burnett
Con
I am glad that the minister is aware of the proposal to mothball four nurseries in Aberdeenshire. A full council meeting is taking place next Monday to make ...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
I can confirm, as I said in my previous answer, that senior Scottish Government officials wrote to the council’s director of education on 29 May to draw the ...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
The minister will be aware that the Tories run Aberdeenshire Council, so Mr Burnett should raise the issue with his Tory colleagues. The Scottish Government ...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
Ms Mackay raises an extremely important point. In relation to the challenges, the addressing depopulation action plan sets out the Scottish Government’s stra...