Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 08 Sep 1999

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 8, 1999

Official Report 259KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Education, Culture and Sport Committee Wednesday 8 September 1999 (Morning)

[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:00]

Good morning everyone.

On a point of order—

It would be better if I said good morning first. I welcome the minister, Sam Galbraith, and the junior minister, Peter Peacock, to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee. I also welcome a member of the Scottish Parliament, Dr Sylvia Jackson, who is not a member of the committee. Now, the point of order.

As members are aware, we had a lengthy discussion in the pre-meeting on the on-going negotiations about teachers' pay and conditions. SNP members—and others—expressed the view that that was possibly the central issue facing the education system at present; it could certainly undermine the Government's commendable agenda of improvement in education. Lengthy discussion took place about whether questions to the minister on that issue would be appropriate and in order. A majority of Labour and Liberal Democrat members seemed to take the view that the minister was to be protected from such questions.

That is not the case.

The Scottish public—teachers and parents—would find it rather strange that—

What is your point of order, Nicola?

I am asking for a ruling on whether questions on the teachers' pay and conditions negotiations will be out of order. The Scottish public would find such a ruling rather strange.

We are here to meet the minister to discuss the draft legislation outlined in "Improving our Schools". We will have to try to deal with questions that impinge upon the teachers' pay negotiations as and when they arise. However, I am not in a position to say that committee members may ask the minister specific questions on the teachers' pay negotiations, because this is not the most appropriate setting for such questions.

It is unfortunate that Nicola has raised this as a party political matter. Her statement that the discussion was party political even in the pre-meeting was inaccurate. However, I will try to be accommodating where the matter impinges on the draft legislation that we are here to discuss. I will rule out of order any questions that relate specifically to the question of the on-going teachers' pay negotiations.

On a point of order, convener. During our discussion, I appreciated your concern that the minister had been briefed on what to expect at this meeting, but a number of us feel that the situation with the negotiations is important. Would it be in order to ask the minister to spare us five minutes on the subject, as a matter of courtesy, so that we can ask one or two questions to keep us up to date?

If the committee wishes, I am more than happy to invite the minister back to discuss teachers' pay, but I will not raise that issue this morning, given that—

But—

I am giving my opinion on the matter. I am chairing the meeting, and my opinion is that, if we wish the minister to answer questions, we will invite him back to do so.