Meeting of the Parliament 16 December 2025 [Draft]
Throughout the bill process, I have been clear about the need to gather data to enable us to have a true understanding of the full costs associated with it. Amendments that have been made at stages 2 and 3 will allow us to do that. The removal of the duty to fund will allow us to look at alternative sources of funding, which I have discussed with the committee and the member in charge. Although finalised costs are not available at the moment, I believe that the steps taken at stages 2 and 3 will allow us a better period of time to gather data prior to the bill’s commencement.
We must ensure that wider forms of outdoor learning are not crowded out due to prioritising a focus on residential outdoor education. However, ultimately, we concluded that all such issues could be overcome or addressed in the legislative process and the implementation phase, as I have just outlined to Mr Mason.
The Education, Children and Young People Committee heard a range of evidence on the positive impact that residential outdoor education can have, from helping to strengthen pupil-teacher relationships to building a young person’s confidence and improving wellbeing. Many schools already provide that experience as part of supporting pupils’ transition from primary to secondary school. It is for those reasons that the Scottish Government provided additional financial support to the sector during the Covid pandemic, so that it might survive the impact of that.
Research also suggests that the residential experience can provide added benefits for young people in more socioeconomically deprived circumstances. In that context, it is not surprising that the issue of equity has been a key one that has been explored during the bill process. Ahead of stage 2, I discussed the question of equity with Liz Smith at some length. In particular, we reflected on the capacity of the outdoor education sector to deliver for children and young people with complex and multiple support needs. I thank the outdoor education sector for the input and insight that it provided on the matter and on other matters during the bill process. In particular, I welcomed the engagement of the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres, the Outward Bound Trust and PGL Beyond.
Those discussions and others have demonstrated that realising the intent and ambition of the bill will take time. However, that implementation process will be easier to achieve as a result of Parliament agreeing to allow for a longer lead-in time to commencement. That approach will enable key partners, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and teacher trade unions, to engage more fully with the requirements of the bill and will help us to work collaboratively and collectively to deliver on the statutory duties. I again thank all those organisations for their engagement during the bill process and for helping to inform our thinking on how best to respond to the bill’s requirements.