Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio questions, and the portfolio is education and skills.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Responsibilities)
How good it is to see the entire ministerial team here today for this session.
To ask the Scottish Government which of the portfolio questions taken in the chamber on 25 April 2025 raised matters that fall within the specific responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, as listed on the Scottish Government website, in light of reported concerns about her missing the session for reasons not related to her ministerial duties. (S6O-04664)
The question, as drafted, cites 25 April 2025, which was a Friday, and the Scottish Parliament does not sit on a Friday. However, all the education and skills questions that were taken on Thursday 24 April were answered by a minister from the education and skills portfolio.
Sorry—I asked a very specific question. On that day, there were issues in the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on teachers experiencing physical violence and verbal abuse, on vaping in schools and on teachers stuck on temporary contracts. If the cabinet secretary is honest with the chamber, she will say that she was on the stump for Scottish National Party votes when she should have been here, doing her job. Will Jenny Gilruth—not in her usual condescending way—give an apology to the Parliament for missing that session and, more important, an apology to our pupils, parents and teachers for the disrespect that she showed by missing it?
Before I ask the cabinet secretary to respond to that, I remind members of the requirement to treat each other in a courteous manner.
As is set out in rule 13.7 of the Parliament’s standing orders,
“oral questions may be answered by any member of the Scottish Government or a junior Scottish Minister”.
Mr Ross had the opportunity today to raise any issue that was pertinent to the children and young people of Scotland. What a pity—although it is not surprising—that he chose not to do so.
On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer—[Interruption.] Yes, “Here we go” for the SNP members who do not want to hear this.
Mr Ross, if you have a point of order, please proceed with it.
I have a point of order. The question that was submitted was very specific. I asked the cabinet secretary which of the questions during a previous session—which she missed to campaign for SNP votes—she would have answered if she had been here. Does the cabinet secretary not know which questions she would have answered, or is she deliberately misleading the Parliament by not telling us?
I thank Mr Ross for his contribution. It is not clear that that is a point of order, because the chair is not responsible for the substance of ministerial responses. I intend to leave the matter there, because I am sure that the member is entirely aware of that fact.
I call Gordon MacDonald for a supplementary question.
Does the cabinet secretary appreciate the hypocrisy of Douglas Ross questioning anyone’s attendance at Parliament, given that he previously ditched the Justice Committee to officiate a football match between Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid and missed a universal credit debate at Westminster to be at Barcelona v Olympiacos? Can the minister remind the chamber of the process by which parliamentary questions are answered?
Mr MacDonald, I think that one recognises that most of that question had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the cabinet secretary’s remit. I will not suggest that the cabinet secretary respond. I hope that members might wish to ask questions that fall within the cabinet secretary’s remit.
Something that is in the cabinet secretary’s portfolio, which was raised in her absence on 24 April, is teachers being stuck on temporary contracts. In a survey that was carried out, 97 per cent of respondents said that they believe that a lack of permanent jobs in teaching is harming pupils. Why on earth are there so many newly qualified teachers in a cycle of temporary contracts on her watch? That leaves them in limbo and pupils facing a revolving door on staff. Why was campaigning more important than that?
MSPs take decisions on a daily basis about where to be. I note that the member’s party leader was not here earlier in the week for the debate on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. Instead, he chose to be in Hamilton, campaigning.
Let me turn to the substantive point that the member asked about in relation to funding for teacher permanence, which is an important issue. The Scottish Government put forward a budget in which we uplifted the value that was provided to our local authorities for teacher numbers to £186.5 million, and we have provided additionality by way of £29 million for additional support needs to support extra teaching posts, because we recognise that there are challenges in that regard. I must observe that the Labour Party abstained on the Scottish Government’s budget.
What message does the education secretary think that playing truant from the Parliament, because she believed that she had something better to do, sends to the children she is imploring to attend our schools?
I must point out that I sincerely missed Stephen Kerr’s presence at the meeting of the Education, Children and Young People Committee on the evening of 30 April, where he was due to present his own amendments on the Education (Scotland) Bill. I am sure—
I would love to be a minister, but I am not.
Well, I am sure that members will recall—[Interruption.]
Members!
I am sure that members will recall that, instead, Mr Briggs spoke on behalf of Mr Kerr in answer to questions, much in the same way as ministers were able to represent the education portfolio.
I am not a minister—you are.
Right—I think that it is time to move on to question 2.
Forced Adoption
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to support those affected by historic forced adoption. (S6O-04665)
This Government issued a national apology in 2023 for the lifelong suffering that was experienced by those affected by historical forced adoption. Those practices should not have happened, and it is right that we listen to the experiences of mothers and adoptees who continue to feel the impact.
The First Minister recently met with the Movement for an Adoption Apology Scotland and committed to exploring the potential for an oral history project. That would offer a space for sharing and proper recording of personal testimonies, acknowledging the past and providing wider societal recognition and education.
Last week, campaigners for the Movement for an Adoption Apology Scotland held an event sponsored by my colleague Marie McNair. Many of those who are affected by historical adoption practices have already passed, so urgent action is imperative. As the minister said in her previous answer, one of the campaigners’ key asks of the Scottish Government is to fund an oral history gathering, an issue that, as she said, they discussed with the First Minister at their recent meeting. Can the minister advise what the Scottish Government’s response is to the call for an oral history gathering?
Yes, of course. As I mentioned in my previous answer, the First Minister has committed in writing to the MAA to explore the oral history project. He has asked officials to work with campaign groups, including the MAA, stakeholders and people with lived experience to discuss how best to take forward the work and to agree timescales. My officials have already been in touch with the MAA on that.
As one of the MSPs who has campaigned on this matter over the past eight years, I welcomed the national apology. However, since then, victims and survivors have lost faith in the limited progress that has been made by the Scottish Government. In Northern Ireland, for example, a truth recovery independent panel was established, which reported interim findings in May 2024. Is the Scottish Government minded to establish something similar in Scotland? Following the meetings that the First Minister held, when will the Parliament receive an update?
Let me be clear that I extend my deepest sympathies to all those who have been affected by those practices. What is most important is that we listen to those with lived experience. We have listened to people with lived experience, and the Government’s response is based on that engagement. That includes peer support for those who are affected, lived experience sessions, the funding of a service to help individuals and families to connect, and better information and awareness raising. That is on top of the further work that I alluded to, which the FM has requested.
Mr Briggs asked for a timescale for the work. The work is under way and I am more than happy to respond to Mr Briggs once the timescale has been finalised.
Stephanie Callaghan joins us remotely.
Vocational Skills Training (Onshore Wind and Solar Industries)
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the provision of vocational skills training, whether it will provide an update on its response to the 2025 ClimateXChange report, “Training provision in Scotland’s onshore wind and solar industries”. (S6O-04666)
In June 2024, we commissioned a skills research project with the aim of quantifying the existing provision of skills development and training within the onshore wind and solar industries in Scotland. The final report was published on the ClimateXChange website in February 2025.
In the same month, the Government took part in an industry-led round-table session to consider the report’s findings. We are currently working with industry representatives to implement the report’s recommendations on enhancing skills and training provision across Scotland, to support the supply of skilled workers who will be required if we are to meet our net zero ambitions.
The report shows that meeting Scotland’s 2045 net zero target will require major growth in the sector. It also highlights the need for a versatile workforce, including people with broad skill sets who can work across various energy sectors. To the Scottish Government’s credit, the report recognises the
“breadth of allied STEM training provision in Scotland”,
but it notes that much of it is theoretical and lacking in the more practical aspects. Given that the demand for skills is expected to peak as early as 2027, the report strongly recommends that collaboration should happen urgently across Government, industry and educational institutions, to produce a “comprehensive action plan” that will allow initiatives to launch in time for the start of the 2025 academic year.
Will the minister provide an update on preparations for the new academic year? Can he offer assurances that colleges and training providers will have the resources to enable them to deliver the practical training to ensure that graduates will be work ready?
I very much welcome the piece of work that has been done. We have been able to benefit from the findings of a similar and detailed piece of work done by Scottish Outdoor Education Centres to assess skill shortages in the offshore wind sector. Identifying such shortages and drawing a distinction between those and labour shortages lies at very the foundation of how we can make progress. The benefit of having such information can be seen in the recent budget, in which, in conjunction with the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens, the Scottish Government agreed to deliver funding aimed at increasing capacity in the college sector to meet the demand for offshore sector skills.
ClimateXChange’s final report will help training providers and the Government to consider how we can meet that demand. As we have seen, it has been identified as going beyond trades skills to cover aspects such as project management and finance. I noted the report’s findings on the solar sector, which indicated the need for more people—or at least improved access to skilled training—rather than highlighting a skills shortage.
As for better aligning our training offer with the needs of the economy in all areas of green skills, we are actively engaged with several colleges on curriculum transformation. That will enable them to focus activity on the areas that they deem most important to their localities and to the national economy. I am also exploring an issue that the sector brought to my attention, which concerns impediments to its making fuller use of green skills training resources, particularly around solar, in order to meet changing demand from the industry.
Education (Funding and Staff Retention in Island Communities)
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with the education sector in island communities, such as Orkney, which are reportedly seeing increasing pressures around funding and staff retention, particularly in relation to the provision of additional support for learning. (S6O-04667)
Although recruitment and deployment of teachers are responsibilities for local authorities, in recent weeks the Scottish Government has engaged with a number of councils, including Orkney Islands Council, to discuss education workforce planning and their plans to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels as part of our agreement with local government. This year, we are providing councils with increased funding of £186.5 million to support that commitment. We are also investing a further £29 million in local and national programmes to enable councils to employ more specialist staff and teachers and to support national initiatives for recruiting and training additional support needs teachers.
Yesterday, the Government agreed to undertake a national review of the implementation of the mainstreaming policy and the availability of specialist additional support places across local authorities. Orkney has no specialist schools. Teachers there report increasing barriers to the delivery of ASL, especially for children with more complex support needs. Any review of the mainstreaming policy must consider the specific circumstances of island communities such as Orkney, where all children with additional support needs are provided for in mainstream education. Those schools desperately need targeted support to facilitate the delivery of effective ASL. Will the cabinet secretary agree to visit Orkney and meet representatives of the local education sector? That will enable her to gain a clearer understanding of the challenges facing teachers and staff there, as well as the support that is needed to improve access to ASL for pupils.
I am happy to confirm to the member that I am keen to visit Orkney. On Monday, my officials met local officials there, who highlighted the increase in the number of children and young people with identified additional support needs. I know that local officials are very much focused on supporting their teachers to develop their skills and confidence in supporting such children and young people. The Government is providing some support through the Kirkwall ASN centre in Orkney, which receives funding from the learning estate investment programme.
I will be more than happy to visit Orkney, along with Mr McArthur, to learn more about the approach in island communities.
Dyslexia (Information on Reasonable Workplace Adjustments for School Leavers)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that those identified with dyslexia at school leave education with the appropriate supporting information needed to secure reasonable adjustments in the workplace. (S6O-04668)
I am grateful to Oliver Mundell for raising that important issue, which he has championed through the cross-party group on dyslexia. We are giving careful consideration to Dyslexia Scotland’s passport proposal, which it and Oliver Mundell raised with the First Minister in November last year. I would be happy to keep members, Mr Mundell and the cross-party group informed of progress on that. In addition, we will continue to work with Dyslexia Scotland and local government partners to improve the consistency of early identification of dyslexia in schools, and we will continue to encourage employers to consider reasonable adjustments for employees with dyslexia.
Some time has passed since November, and there is frustration in the dyslexia community about how long it is taking to progress some of the proposals and about the fact that, after years of asking, the Scottish Government still has not identified a lead official for adult dyslexia. Will the cabinet secretary look into that?
I am happy to do so. For Mr Mundell’s understanding, I note that I met Dyslexia Scotland recently and discussed that exact issue. I am more than happy to engage with him and with Dyslexia Scotland, alongside officials, to provide an update, because he raises a hugely important point.
Mr Mundell will recognise that there is, to some extent, an overlap between the responsibilities of the health and education portfolios. It is important that they work together. In that regard, I note that a key theme of yesterday’s debate on additional support needs was the need to ensure that there is a more coherent approach to how we support people. I am happy to take that approach and to offer further engagement with Mr Mundell and Dyslexia Scotland.
It is vital that pupils with dyslexia are supported to reach their full potential. Will the cabinet secretary outline how the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s dyslexia and inclusive practice professional recognition programme is supporting teachers to do that?
The GTCS-accredited dyslexia and inclusive practice programme supports teaching professionals to be well equipped to identify and support learners with dyslexia and to share their learning with colleagues. It is a popular programme, and a record number of teachers participated in it last year. The programme’s modules have a strong focus on the dyslexia identification process and the supports that can be put in place in schools. We are also committed to building on the success of such programmes through our additional investment of £29 million this year to support the ASN workforce.
I thank the cabinet secretary for the approach that she is taking to dyslexia today. It is an important condition from which a significant number of young people suffer.
Could the Scottish Government look at situations in which dyslexia was not diagnosed during school life but a positive destination has been recorded for the individual, and consider whether it should still be classed as a positive destination, given that the dyslexia diagnosis was missed?
I recognise that the issue crosses a number of portfolios, but concerns have been raised with me by individuals who were recorded as being in a positive destination but now, having been diagnosed with dyslexia, need additional support.
The member raises an important point. I give him a commitment today that I will take that issue away and engage with officials on how we might be able to extrapolate that data. We already gather data on positive destinations at the point of pupils leaving school and again around nine months later. I will take the member’s issue away and engage with him and with my officials further.
Schools (Computing Science)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many school pupils are currently studying computing science and how this compares to recent years. (S6O-04669)
In 2024, there were 12,049 entries into computing science qualifications at national 4, national 5, higher and advanced higher levels. That represents an increase of 282 entries over the parliamentary session, since 2021.
Computing science is only one of the computing and information technology-related courses that are taken by young people in schools, alongside courses such as computer games development, business with information technology, PC passport and cyber security. There were 6,828 entries into those vocational and technical courses in 2024, which was an increase of 2,706 compared with 2021.
When I graduated in computer science years ago, in 1980, we had some idea of the power of computing and software to change the world for the better. However, we still seem to struggle to attract the numbers of young people—especially young women—that the industry needs to study computing science and become software developers.
Can the cabinet secretary offer some insight into how the Government can help to address that issue and raise awareness among young people of the fabulous careers that are available in software development, the opportunity to work internationally that those careers offer and the very high salaries that can be earned in an industry that is truly world changing?
The member raises a pertinent issue in relation to the gender divide in subject choice in our schools. We have a range of activity under way to support more girls to choose computing science. Education Scotland is working with national organisations, including Tech She Can and Code Club, to promote female role models through live lessons and professional learning for teachers.
A successful women in computing event was run last year by St George’s school, which I was pleased to attend. It was held in collaboration with industry partners and involved 500 pupils. We are exploring whether similar events could be offered all over Scotland.
In addition, the Government has provided £800,000 to Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science to support that organisation in promoting computer science.
It was touching to hear how much the cabinet secretary missed me at the Education, Children and Young People Committee meeting on the Education (Scotland) Bill on 30 April.
There is a problem with the number of computing teachers. It has been pointed out repeatedly that there is a ticking time bomb when it comes to the ageing demographic of those who are currently teaching, and there is no apparent pipeline to replace them. With only three universities offering postgraduate diplomas in education for computing—two in Glasgow—why has the Government failed to expand access to training? Will the cabinet secretary act now to address the recruitment crisis before it fatally undermines Scotland’s digital economy?
I do not know whether the member is aware of the pilot that we are supporting at the University of Aberdeen that speaks to the essence of his question. It is focused on expanding the profession in relation to computing science, where we know that there are challenges. It is a two-year MA secondary course that has been designed to allow students with the relevant higher national diploma qualifications to convert to teaching. The first cohort is due to start in September 2025, and it will complete the course in 2027. The course is still open for applications via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service website, so I encourage members, including Mr Kerr, to help to raise awareness.
We have provided funding for that from the economy portfolio, recognising the point that the member makes about wider workforce challenges and ensuring that there is a pipeline of talent feeding into the system.
Stephen Kerr is right that there is a significant challenge with the number of computing science teachers. It is down at a record low of 550, and there has been a drop of 28 in the past year. Some incentives are in place to encourage people to switch careers, but they are clearly insufficient. Is the cabinet secretary considering other measures to encourage more people into computing science, because it is essential?
I agree with the essence of the member’s point. Again, it links to wider challenges, not least in computing. Across the curriculum, there are a number of skills gaps in certain subject areas.
We fund the teaching bursary scheme, to which the member alluded. The scheme is worth up to £20,000. However, the success of that programme has dwindled in recent years, and we are reflecting on how it might be able to better support those subject gaps in future. I can confirm to the member that I have asked my officials for more advice on that, because it is important that our programmes to encourage people into teaching are helping to drive recruitment, particularly in areas where we know that we have subject gaps, such as computing science.
Violence against Teachers and School Staff (South Ayrshire)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle any violence against teachers and school staff in South Ayrshire. (S6O-04670)
Violence towards pupils or school staff is completely unacceptable. Specific responsibility for addressing concerns rests with local authorities, which are the employers of school staff.
In August, we published our action plan on relationships and behaviour in schools, jointly with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The plan set out 20 actions to be taken by 2027, including actions to reduce violence in our schools. Last week, I updated Parliament on the positive progress that has been made so far, including our intention to publish in the coming weeks new guidance to support school staff in responding to behaviour, including the use of consequences.
The number of reported assaults and verbal abuse against teachers and support staff in South Ayrshire has nearly tripled since before the pandemic. That violence is disrupting learning, demoralising staff and driving experienced teachers out of the profession. At January’s cross-party summit, young people made it clear that, too often, there are no real consequences for those who are responsible. What immediate action is the Scottish Government taking to protect school staff and ensure that there are real consequences for violent behaviour in our classrooms?
Ms Dowey and I attended the first summit, which was held earlier this year. I found the evidence that we heard from young people and their parents extremely harrowing. We also had a very helpful cross-party discussion about the route forward.
The issue of consequences continues to be challenging in our schools. There is a variety of measures and action that teachers can take, but, at the extreme, there is the opportunity for teachers to exclude. The pertinent issue that Ms Dowey raises is about the challenge between, on the one hand, an increase in challenging behaviour in our schools, and on the other, exclusion rates that seem to be falling. I have been very clear in my communication in the chamber and in my engagement with schools that we encourage teachers to report incidents as and when they happen and to use exclusion if they see fit.
The national action plan, which was updated a few weeks ago, sets out the range of actions that we have taken, but in my statement to Parliament last week, I said that I would come back to Parliament to provide a further update on consequences. I hope that that reassures the member.
Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns about the experiences of female teachers and support staff who are subjected to misogynistic abuse? Will she outline what steps the Government is taking to tackle that?
Female teachers, like female politicians, face misogyny, which I think reflects changes in our society more broadly. In March last year, we published a national framework for schools to help tackle sexual harassment and gender-based violence. Misogynistic behaviour has been identified as an emerging concern in schools, and that framework demonstrates our commitment to taking swift action to respond to current concerns.
The programme for government also commits us to supporting the digital discourse initiative, which provides support and advice to navigate digital media and counter the impacts of disinformation and online hate. I am delighted that we have been able to support the first stage of that work to help teachers and learners with skills to tackle the issue.
Question 8 has not been lodged.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I acknowledge that you said in response to my earlier point of order that you are not responsible for the cabinet secretary’s answers. However, later on, on the same question, you ruled out a supplementary question as inadmissible because it was not linked to the first question.
Therefore, if you are able to control questions that are asked but not answers, what avenue is available to MSPs to get a response to a lodged question? As the cabinet secretary refused point blank to tell me in response to my question which questions she would have answered when she was absent on 24 April, I have now lodged a written question to seek that information. What can you do from the chair to urge the cabinet secretary to urgently answer that written question?
I thank Mr Ross for his further contribution. I am here to ensure that proceedings can continue. If it is a portfolio question, I am here to ensure that questions can be asked and supplementary questions can be taken. Obviously, as all members know, the supplementary question must be supplementary to the question in the Business Bulletin and within the remit of the cabinet secretary’s portfolio. I hope that that deals with the point. I did not think that I needed to explain that.
On the member’s other point, I have said repeatedly, and the member will know, that the nature of a minister’s response is not up to the chair. The minister has responded, and if the member feels unhappy with a minister’s response, he is well aware of the number of different ways in which he can pursue the substantive issues, should he so wish.
I hope that that clarifies the matter.
That concludes portfolio questions. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business.
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