Chamber
Plenary, 20 Dec 2006
20 Dec 2006 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities
I acknowledge the invaluable sign language work that is being done in the Parliament and throughout Scotland. We have recently sought to support and expand the training for that work.
To help support the mainstreaming of equality in the further and higher education sectors, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has launched the equality forward unit, which will support the FE and HE sectors in delivering the equalities agenda. The unit includes a specific disability strand that will work to support disabled students and disabled staff. In addition, "Partnership Matters: A Guide to Local Authorities, NHS Boards and Voluntary Organisations on Supporting Students with Additional Needs in Further Education", which the Executive published in 2005, helps to promote understanding of disability in FE institutions and sets out the roles and responsibilities of all the agencies that are involved in providing support for students with disabilities. We will work to extend guidance to HE institutions; indeed, recommendations on that have been made. Everyone acknowledges that the publication has resulted in improvement in the FE sector.
We are committed to ensuring that appropriate support is provided to enable students to undertake their studies successfully. The funding council is currently considering developing and implementing a needs-led approach to identify students with additional support needs and is progressing a needs-led assessment model in a pilot project involving 11 colleges.
The report makes important points about transitional support. Our work includes addressing the needs of young people who are not in education, employment or training through our more choices, more chances NEET strategy. We aim to understand fully who those young people are and to put together the right package of learning and support for pre-16-year-olds and those who are 16 and over. Our NEET strategy identifies young disabled people as one of several key groups that local partnerships should target in implementing the strategy. I heard what Shiona Baird said about WEETs. Obviously, what she said must be addressed in the context of considering the report.
Again, I commend the committee for its work. Its report will form part of the legacy of this session of Parliament, inform policy for years to come and help to drive far-reaching change across Scottish society. The Executive will respond to the report in detail early next year. However, I hope that we have signalled our appreciation for the contribution that the committee has made and I hope that we have made it clear that we will work with it to realise our shared goals for disability equality. The new disability equality duty, the disability working group report and the committee's inquiry report will help to increase the pace of change and deliver equality of opportunity for disabled people throughout Scotland.
To help support the mainstreaming of equality in the further and higher education sectors, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has launched the equality forward unit, which will support the FE and HE sectors in delivering the equalities agenda. The unit includes a specific disability strand that will work to support disabled students and disabled staff. In addition, "Partnership Matters: A Guide to Local Authorities, NHS Boards and Voluntary Organisations on Supporting Students with Additional Needs in Further Education", which the Executive published in 2005, helps to promote understanding of disability in FE institutions and sets out the roles and responsibilities of all the agencies that are involved in providing support for students with disabilities. We will work to extend guidance to HE institutions; indeed, recommendations on that have been made. Everyone acknowledges that the publication has resulted in improvement in the FE sector.
We are committed to ensuring that appropriate support is provided to enable students to undertake their studies successfully. The funding council is currently considering developing and implementing a needs-led approach to identify students with additional support needs and is progressing a needs-led assessment model in a pilot project involving 11 colleges.
The report makes important points about transitional support. Our work includes addressing the needs of young people who are not in education, employment or training through our more choices, more chances NEET strategy. We aim to understand fully who those young people are and to put together the right package of learning and support for pre-16-year-olds and those who are 16 and over. Our NEET strategy identifies young disabled people as one of several key groups that local partnerships should target in implementing the strategy. I heard what Shiona Baird said about WEETs. Obviously, what she said must be addressed in the context of considering the report.
Again, I commend the committee for its work. Its report will form part of the legacy of this session of Parliament, inform policy for years to come and help to drive far-reaching change across Scottish society. The Executive will respond to the report in detail early next year. However, I hope that we have signalled our appreciation for the contribution that the committee has made and I hope that we have made it clear that we will work with it to realise our shared goals for disability equality. The new disability equality duty, the disability working group report and the committee's inquiry report will help to increase the pace of change and deliver equality of opportunity for disabled people throughout Scotland.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5293, in the name of Cathy Peattie, on behalf of the Equal Opportunities Committee, on its second report ...
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
Before I begin my remarks on behalf of the Equal Opportunities Committee, I welcome Dr Jones's comments on diversity and his previous remarks on this importa...
That the Parliament notes the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 2nd Report, 2006 (Session 2):
Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities (SP Paper 677).
The Minister for Communities (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I thank the Equal Opportunities Committee for the fantastic job that it has done in the past two and a half years in its disability inquiry. I commend the th...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
The minister said that the committee's report goes further than that of the disability working group. Will he thoroughly consider the Equal Opportunities Com...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Absolutely. As I said earlier, we cannot give a full response at this point. Members of the committee will accept that the report has been available to us fo...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, offer my condolences and deep sympathies to Cathy Peattie.I welcome the people in the public gallery who helped the committee with the report and gav...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
It is poignant and perhaps appropriate that we are discussing disability this morning, following the sad death last night of Lord Carter, who was a remarkabl...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I presume that the member will encourage the Conservative group to be among the early signatories to my bill proposal to make all disabled parking bays in Sc...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I am sure that we will do so.The committee welcomed the proposed changes to building regulations, which, if properly utilised, will bring great improvements ...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
I am glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the work on the report, which was thorough, wide ranging and in the best traditions of the Parliament ...
Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab):
Lab
We have come a long way in Scotland in our work on equalities. Equal opportunity is a founding principle of the Parliament, and the Equal Opportunities Commi...
Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green):
Green
I was fortunate to be a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee when it began its huge inquiry. At that time, my personal interest was in access to work....
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I declare my registered interest as a member of the Transport and General Workers Union.As others have said, the debate is the culmination of more than two y...
Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
I record my admiration for the amount of work that went into producing the report and the long process that was required. I joined the Equal Opportunities Co...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
I will concentrate on the problems that many disabled people face with regard to physical access. The main obstacle to be overcome is complacency among peopl...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate the committee, the convener—Cathy Peattie—and the clerking team for a comprehensive report on the barriers that disabled people face and, impo...
Dave Petrie (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I pass on our condolences to Cathy Peattie and her family. I congratulate the committee on a comprehensive report. This has been a good debate that has clear...
Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Although I am not a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee, I congratulate it on its disability inquiry and on the publication of such a comprehensive a...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I congratulate the committee again on the significant contribution that the report represents to the future direction of disability equality in Scotland. I p...
Elaine Smith:
Lab
I am pleased to hear the minister's comments. However, I want to ask about wider trade union issues. In evidence to the committee, Des Loughney of the Scotti...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I certainly congratulate the T&G; we have also had a successful partnership with the STUC on the campaign that Elaine Smith mentioned. Obviously, the matter ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
You have enough time. I will tell you when you are running out of it.
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I should say something about lifelong learning, which has not featured too much in the debate, although I am sure that it will feature in Marilyn Livingstone...
John Swinburne:
SSCUP
Will the minister acknowledge the grand work that is being done by the people in the gallery who are using sign language? Their conveying of what is being sa...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I acknowledge the invaluable sign language work that is being done in the Parliament and throughout Scotland. We have recently sought to support and expand t...
Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Cathy Peattie for her first-class convenership of meetings in which evidence was taken for this important inquiry and for her commitment to ensuring ...
Elaine Smith:
Lab
Carolyn Leckie told us that only 45 per cent of disabled people are in work. During evidence, we heard that only 6 per cent of people with ASD are in employm...
Marilyn Livingstone:
Lab
Yes, I will. That work is an exemplar of best practice and the National Autistic Society is to be congratulated on it. I know that Elaine Smith has done much...
Meeting suspended until 14:00.