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The next item is a letter from the then Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in relation to national performance indicators. I apologise for the fact that this issue has taken so long to find its way on to the agenda—it was not deliberate. I hope that the committee will accept my apologies. We should form a view on the letter next week, so I would like members to read it in some detail to enable us to send a report to the Minister for Education and Young People for her consideration. Is that agreed?
I suggest that we leave agenda item 6, on a children's commissioner—it is a fairly complex matter and we would not do it justice at this time—and consider it in detail next week. However, I suggest that we make it item 1 on next week's agenda so that it does not slip off the agenda again.
What else is on the agenda next week?
We are taking stage 1 evidence on the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Records) Bill. I suggest that we take the children's commissioner item at the beginning of the meeting and discuss it so that we can give guidance to our colleagues from the non-Executive bills unit as to how to move the matter forward, if that is agreeable to the committee.
Martin Verity has pointed out that, as part of the purposes of education inquiry paper that members have just approved, we have agreed to extend the contract of the advisers to the committee. Members should be aware of that.
When will we see the advisers' discussion paper?
We should have it on 29 January.
I close this meeting—
I have one point, convener. It was agreed last week that members of the individual parties would give evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee. Who is going and how are we doing it? I suppose that we will all turn up together, but we will all be answering different questions.
I suggest that we discuss that informally among the party representatives.
Yes. I will be representing the SNP, but who else is going?
The convener and representatives of the four parties are going.
So there are five of us.
But there is no committee position on the issue that is to be discussed, so the convener will have to be careful.
I will be very careful.
The convener is always careful, as you will know, Mr Russell.
I was simply making an observation, Ms Baillie.
You are making a lot of observations today, Mr Russell.
Unless you have something that you wish to add that is on the agenda, Mr Jenkins, I will close this meeting of the committee and we will have an informal discussion.
Meeting closed at 16:50.
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Purposes of Education Inquiry