Education, Children and Young People Committee 19 November 2025
On the principle of voluntarism, it is clear from the conversation that we have had that the evidence suggests that there will be teachers and staff in schools who are prepared to continue to support young people to access residential outdoor education. What is also clear, though—and I welcome some of the commitments that I have heard from the minister and from the member in charge of the bill around this issue—is that, if that were no longer to be the case, the right place for negotiations to take place would be the SNCT. With that assurance, I would be prepared not to move amendment 28.
It would be helpful if there were ways, between now and stage 3, that we could discuss even just a shorter but clear statement that, if that situation were no longer the case, the SNCT would be the place where negotiations should take place. However, there is now a commitment on the record on that, and there has been recognition from the Government and other members that the SNCT is absolutely the place to address such concerns.
I welcome the support for amendments 29 and 30, which seek to place in the bill recognition of trade unions and their importance in relation to consultation. I take the minister’s point that there are others who should be consulted, but it is important that we recognise the long-established structures that trade unions bring. That is why I lodged those amendments, and I am pleased to move them today.
On the points about data reporting and sharing, and understanding the impact on staff, again, they speak to the point about voluntarism and concerns about what we would do if pupils had a right to outdoor education in statute but, suddenly, nobody wanted to volunteer to help out. We are addressing that around the table just now—again, the place to look at that is in the SNCT. Nonetheless, it will be important to collect data in the same way that we have to gather other data in education to look at the experience of staff in schools. I welcome the minister’s offer to work on that between now and stage 3, and I would welcome tripartite engagement—if I can call it that—between me, the minister, and the member in charge to look at how we could create a workable amendment at stage 3, because it is important that we monitor that.
On that basis—let me consult the numbers so that I get them right—I will not move amendments 1, 2, 6, 7 or 28. I will move amendments 29 and 30.
Amendment 1, by agreement, withdrawn.
Amendment 2 not moved.