The Committee reports to Parliament as follows-

1. The Registration of Independent Schools (Prescribed Person) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 [Draft] was laid before the Parliament on 30 May 2017. The instrument is subject to the affirmative procedure.

2. The Policy Note accompanying the draft Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) states-

   The policy objective of these Regulations is that only a teacher who is registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) can be appointed as a teacher in an independent school.

   Scottish Government. (2017). POLICY NOTE: THE REGISTRATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (PRESCRIBED PERSON) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017. Retrieved from http://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2017/9780111035863/policy-note/contents

3. The instrument specifies that all teachers employed in independent schools from 1 October 2017 are required to be registered with the GTCS. Teachers employed by an independent school prior to 1 October 2017 will be required to be registered by 1 October 2020, thereby providing a transition period of three years.

4. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the Registration of Independent Schools (Prescribed Person) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 [draft] on 6 June 2017 and raised no points on the instrument.¹Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. (2017, June 6). SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION CONSIDERED ON 6 JUNE 2017. Retrieved from <a href="https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/DPLR/2017/6/6/Subordinate-Legislation-considered-on-6-June-2017#Introduction" target="_blank">https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/DPLR/2017/6/6/Subordinate-Legislation-considered-on-6-June-2017#Introduction</a>

5. The Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS) wrote to the Committee in regard to this draft SSI. SCIS highlighted issues its members were experiencing in regard to flexibility, timescales/progress and financial implications. SCIS also provided a number of short case-studies to illustrate some of these issues.¹Scottish Council of Independent Schools. (2017, June). THE REGISTRATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (PRESCRIBED PERSON) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Education/General%20Documents/20170612ES.SCIS_GTCS_Reg.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Education/General%20Documents/20170612ES.SCIS_GTCS_Reg.pdf</a>

6. The Committee considered the Registration of Independent Schools (Prescribed Person) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 [Draft] on 21 June 2017.¹Education and Skills Committee. (2017). Official Report, 21 June 2017. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11024&amp;mode=pdf" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11024&amp;mode=pdf</a> The Committee took evidence from Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science on the regulations. A number of points were raised in relation to the SSI and details of the discussions can be found in the Official Report of the meeting.

7. Following the evidence session, Shirley-Anne Somerville moved S5M-06113—

   That the Education and Skills Committee recommends that the Registration of Independent Schools (Prescribed Person) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 [draft] be approved.

   The motion was agreed to.