Meeting of the Parliament 25 June 2025
I have in front of me a letter from Unite the Union that I quoted to Ms Duncan-Glancy during yesterday’s proceedings. It said that relocating the accreditation team to another body would not deliver the outcomes that the Education, Children and Young People Committee or Parliament appeared to be seeking. I have to say that the inability of the committee to arrive at a decision on the matter at stage 2 has helped to continue the unease and anxiety that those staff have experienced.
The purpose of the bill is to bring Parliament together around a solution to the challenge that exists in relation to accreditation. I am pleased that we have been able to do that with not just one party in the Parliament but two.
We will now have the statutory review that I mentioned. Importantly, that will go beyond where the function is located to consider in detail the scope of that function. In committee, we debated that matter at length. Of course, within qualifications Scotland there will also be a chief accreditation officer.
Presiding Officer, I am conscious of time.
First and foremost, we need to pass the legislation, to fully realise our shared goal to improve our education system and, as a result, improve outcomes for our children and young people. I urge members to support the Education (Scotland) Bill to make that a reality.
I move,
That the Parliament agrees that the Education (Scotland) Bill be passed.