Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, September 15, 2011

Official Report 1185KB pdf

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Scottish Executive Question Time

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Education and Lifelong Learning

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Independent Review of College Governance

1. To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects to receive a report on the independent review of college governance. (S4O-00154)

I expect to receive the report during December.

Given the fact that some Scottish colleges are already in discussion regarding possible merger, would the cabinet secretary advise that such discussions be delayed to take account of the recommendations of Professor Griggs’s review and the pre-legislative paper on post-16 education reform?

No, I would definitely not give that advice. I would advise the colleges to continue with their discussions and, where possible, to reach conclusions. I spoke to a college principal who is in that position this morning. The review of governance is a wider review than simply a review of the issues of individual colleges; it looks right across the sector. In my statement yesterday, I indicated that I expect a move towards a regional model of commissioning in colleges very soon. The more that colleges are prepared for that, the better.

In yesterday’s statement on college mergers, the minister said that he might also consider university mergers. In the small print of the accompanying document, it looks as though the minister intends to use legislative powers to require mergers, which is creating some anxiety. How does the minister envisage using those powers?

To be entirely fair, that is not in small print—it is in print that is exactly the same size as the print everywhere else because it is a proposal that is under discussion and I am keen to have responses to that proposal from the Labour benches and elsewhere. The power in question is a power to ensure that there is a continuing look at the structures that exist over a sustained period. We have tended to have bursts of merger activity, bursts of discussion and long periods in which nothing happens. We need to take a more strategic view, and the idea of having the powers is to allow a more strategic view to be taken.

I call Mark McDonald.

Sorry, no—it is a mistake.

You should not have pressed your button. I call Margaret McCulloch.

To ask the Scottish Executive how it promotes the teaching of first aid and life support skills in Scottish schools.

I am sorry, Ms McCulloch, but I was calling you for a supplementary to question 1 because you had pressed your button. We will come back to your question. Graeme Dey has pressed his button to ask a supplementary. Do you want to ask a supplementary, Mr Dey?

Yes.

Thank you, Mr Dey. You have your supplementary.

A review is also under way into the governance of Scotland’s universities. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that the issue of financial accountability will be at the heart of that review?

Absolutely. Financial accountability is a key issue in governance. Yesterday, I talked about the need for transparency and openness. At the heart of that is financial openness and a clear understanding among members of the public of the large sums of money that are expended on colleges and universities and the way in which the public are rewarded for that expenditure.

Before we move to question 2, it might be helpful if I tell members that if they want to ask a supplementary to a question they should press their button when that question is asked and that if they have a question further down the Business Bulletin they should wait until we come to it before they press their button. It will save a wee bit of confusion if we all have the same understanding.

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Modern Apprenticeships

2. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports local businesses to recruit apprentices as part of its modern apprenticeship programme. (S4O-00155)

We are committed to offering a range of support, through Skills Development Scotland, to make it easier for smaller local businesses to hire staff and take on one of the 25,000 apprentice opportunities available this year. The support includes access to £1,000 to support 16 to 19-year-olds who have completed pre-employment training into a job or an apprenticeship; access to £5 million to help employers recruit people aged over 18 who are struggling to find work; and, for businesses with fewer than 50 employees, £2.5 million is also available in the form of a £1,000 rebate for the additional recruitment costs small businesses incur. It may interest the member to know that last year 805 new apprentices started their training across east and west Dunbartonshire.

I thank the minister for that full answer. How will the Scottish Government ensure that opportunities for modern apprenticeships will support the recruitment of young people and help to address the high levels of youth unemployment in my constituency?

I acknowledge that there is a problem with youth unemployment. The Scottish Government will support 25,000 modern apprenticeship opportunities, and the majority will be targeted to help young people between the ages of 16 and 24. I will be happy to ask Skills Development Scotland to consider how it can help small businesses, in particular, to recruit apprentices in Clydebank and across west Dunbartonshire.

It is important that apprenticeship opportunities are available for the people who are furthest away from the labour market. Will Skills Development Scotland or the Scottish Government be prepared to ring fence opportunities for disabled workers to participate in apprenticeship programmes—perhaps supported by employment services such as Remploy?

We certainly acknowledge that some people are further than others from the employment market, and we acknowledge that higher levels of unemployment are suffered by people who have disabilities. We seek to overcome those unfair aspects of the work market.

Mr Park’s first point was about people who are far from the labour market. We carry out work through many schemes in an effort to make people ready for apprenticeships, and I am happy to look specifically at the issue of employees with disabilities.

Although I welcome all the initiatives that are under way, I have a particular concern based on queries from people in my constituency. It concerns people from the age of 20 or 21 right up to the early 30s who feel that they have no paths at all into the labour market. What consideration has been given to that age group to ensure that good working careers can be supplied for them?

I thank the member for raising that issue. The primary focus of our modern apprenticeship programme is, rightly, on people in younger age groups who are seeking to move into jobs, so young people account for the majority of places. However, the Government appreciates that specific problems arise for people in older age groups. We know that the programme is a good route for unemployed adults to get into jobs with training. For the first time, we have targeted a proportion of places to support unemployed people in the 20 to 24 age group. The modern apprenticeship programme is also an important tool in developing our workforce more generally, in all age groups. That is why the Government offers the programme such strong support.

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Schools (Anti-sectarianism)

3. To ask the Scottish Executive what support and funding it has provided for anti-sectarianism programmes in primary and secondary schools since 2007. (S4O-00156)

The Scottish Government has provided funding over the period in question to a wide range of organisations. Those organisations have delivered projects to tackle sectarianism and all forms of religious intolerance across all aspects of Scottish society, including in schools. The total funding provided for the years 2007 to 2011 is £1,481,650. However, the specific amount of work in schools cannot be identified as the work of those organisations cuts across many areas.

Does the minister agree that moves to toughen sentencing on sectarianism must go hand in hand with preventive work and measures, including targeted education in our schools? What opportunities are teachers offered to receive training on anti-sectarianism issues—through teacher training and continuing professional development?

I appreciate Ms Beamish’s interest in the area; I am aware that she is a former schoolteacher. I reassure her that I have begun conversations with the Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, Roseanna Cunningham, on a number of fronts. I do not want to leave the member under any illusion: our children, particularly our young children, are indeed a catalyst for change. There are huge opportunities, which are rooted in the curriculum for excellence and our approach to early years work. I will continue the dialogue with Ms Cunningham and I will be glad to keep Ms Beamish well informed.

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Careers Guidance

4. To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop careers guidance. (S4O-00157)

Careers guidance services make an important contribution to sustainable economic growth. In March we published Scotland’s first strategy on careers services, which set out clearly our commitment to an all-ages, universal service that responds to the needs of today’s society and to people’s demands and expectations.

Two weeks ago, I attended the launch of the new careers web service—my world of work. That is something that we should be excited about, because for the first time people throughout Scotland have a wealth of material—literally at their fingertips—to help them to plan their careers, whether they are starting out on their working lives or are already on that journey.

There is much more to our approach than just a website. The website is part of a much more integrated approach to careers services, to offer a greater mix and balance, which includes face-to-face and online approaches and the Skills Development Scotland contact centre and partnership working.

Is the minister aware of the survey that Unison conducted among employees in Skills Development Scotland, who are concerned about an overreliance on web-based services? I have had experience of trying to help people in such circumstances and I know that a web-based approach is not always ideal. Does the minister agree that it would be useful if the Scottish Government considered Unison’s findings from the survey and ensured that Skills Development Scotland staff have bought into the approach? Perhaps he will discuss the matter with the union, if he has an opportunity to do so.

The member might be aware that many of the concerns that emerged from the feedback were expressed at an early stage, before the engagement exercise with all concerned had been completed. The engagement was constructive. Most of the concerns that were expressed at an early stage were about technical aspects of the programme.

We will not turn the clock back. There is huge demand out there for services such as the one that has been launched. I hope that I can reassure the member that I do not regard the my world of work site as a replacement for human beings. Far from that, I regard it as a much more efficient way to use the talents of careers service personnel and ensure that they are fully brought into the whole exercise.

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Schools (Secondary 5 and 6 Returns)

5. To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the impact on schools with higher than average returns of S5 and S6 pupils. (S4O-00158)

Local authorities are responsible for providing the complement of teachers and subjects that best suits the circumstances of each school and its pupils, in light of the resources available. Through curriculum for excellence, we have given schools, local authorities and their partners the flexibility to plan and deliver a senior phase that meets the needs and aspirations of all their learners within their local circumstances.

Yesterday the Scottish Government committed to providing a minimum income of £7,000 to lowest-income students. Will the Government clarify whether that replaces or is additional to the £6,200 that the Student Awards Agency for Scotland provides? What incentives will such a payment provide for students to stay on at school, if they would be financially better off going to college?

That was a rather tangential extension of the question, but I will do my best to follow the logic of it. The education maintenance allowance is available for young people who stay on at school. I am sure that the member wants to pay tribute to the Government for maintaining the education maintenance allowance, which has been abolished south of the border.

The question, thereafter, is what choices are available to young people—it is not only an issue of the income that is available. The guarantee that we have given of a place in training or education will be part of that. With regard to the way in which we can support and encourage students, within the confines of the public finance, this Government offered the £7,000 minimum income guarantee in its manifesto, and we will take that forward. Other opportunities will arise. For example, the paper that we issued yesterday—I am sure that the member has read it—talks about ways in which we could support part-time study, which is something that we do not do as well as we should.

With regard to the specific question about the higher than average returns of S5 and S6 pupils, I would encourage every young person, no matter who they are or where they are, to ensure that they get the most out of education that they can. That means ensuring that they have the opportunity to study at school, at college, at university or through modern apprenticeships. I am glad to say that opportunities in that regard are growing as a result of the actions of this Government.

Given that schools with higher numbers of senior pupils are able to offer a wider range of courses for pupils to choose from, does the cabinet secretary believe that giving more pupils access to a wider range of courses is an important policy? Does he believe that the hub model that is used in Aberdeen could be applied elsewhere in Scotland?

That is a good point, and I am grateful to the member for making it. There are resource pressures on individual schools, and there is also an issue that some schools might not have large enough fifth and sixth years to enable them to offer all options. The ways in which schools can work together and authorities can manage that are crucial. The hub approach is one way; other areas have extensive online learning, which is also a possibility; and some pupils go to different schools to learn different subjects. In all those circumstances, making efforts to give those pupils the maximum opportunity to study the widest possible range of subjects is the right way forward, and I commend every local authority that is doing that.

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Affordable Childcare

6. To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the availability of affordable childcare for the poorest families, in light of the Save the Children report, “Making Work Pay”. (S4O-00159)

High-quality, affordable and accessible early learning and childcare are crucial both for children’s development and for enabling parents to balance work and family life. That is why the Scottish Government is committed to the continued expansion of early learning and childcare provision, focusing our initial efforts on those from the most deprived backgrounds.

I think that we all know that the lack of affordable childcare is a barrier to employment, particularly for low-income households. One of the specific calls that is being made by Save the Children is for the entitlement to nursery care to be extended to two-year-olds from the most disadvantaged households. Does the minister agree with that? If so, what action will she take?

I am interested in the Save the Children report. I met representatives of the organisation yesterday, and I know that there will be a members’ business debate on the report next week, to which I look forward to responding.

My colleagues on the front bench will testify that I lecture them at any opportunity about the prohibitive costs of childcare and how that is a barrier to work. I am also particularly interested in vulnerable two-year-olds. The Government will consider ways in which we can extend childcare or early learning experiences. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to visit many family centres in Glasgow and the north of Scotland that are also doing some interesting things to reach out to families with two-year-olds, in an attempt to give them the best start in life.

Finally, I must say that, if the Government and the country are serious about changing the lives of our children, we need to be serious about changing the constitution of the country and securing the proper levers of power to address issues of childcare and child poverty.

I was going to welcome everything that the minister said, but she fell at the last, as it were. I welcome much of what she said, and the exploration of ways in which we can open up early learning opportunities is welcome.

As part of that process, will the minister consider ways in which we might extend the hours during which parents may be able to claim free nursery provision? I understand that, at the moment, the hours are between 8 am and 6 pm. However, Save the Children believes that extending that even from 7 am to 7 pm could make a difference for many families in the poorest bracket.

Liam McArthur will be aware that local authorities are the main drivers on that issue. However, if it would be constructive for us to discuss anything with our local authority partners, I am happy to do so.

As well as lobbying this Government, Mr McArthur may—as I am sure he is aware—wish to lobby his colleagues in Westminster, as there are some significant changes to universal credit and pay-in for childcare costs that will have a detrimental impact.

If the Scottish Government can show that it is willing to work with its partners to find flexibility—which parents need—wherever possible, I would hope that Mr McArthur can, in that spirit, speak to his Westminster colleagues about the flexibility that we need on welfare reform.

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Universities (Overseas Promotion)

7. To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes Scottish universities to overseas students. (S4O-00160)

We fund a range of activities to promote Scottish universities overseas, including supporting recruitment fairs, scholarships, international university partnerships and international exchanges for Scottish students. As outlined in our pre-legislative paper, which was published yesterday, we are committed to presenting our universities as a

“destination of learning choice for international students.”

Over the past decade, successive Administrations have done a great deal of work to increase the number of students who come to Scottish universities. We punch way above our weight, as 19 per cent of students at Scottish universities are overseas students, in comparison with 16 per cent at United Kingdom universities.

However, in my area, the cuts in courses are valued at around £20 million at the University of Glasgow and £12 million at the University of Strathclyde. How will the Executive ensure that such institutions continue to attract overseas students and provide a broad base of education for home students?

There is, as far as I am aware, no evidence at all that the recruitment of overseas students has been affected by any decisions that the universities themselves have made.

I stress to Hanzala Malik that it is for each university to decide which courses to offer and how to present those in its prospectus. Of course, universities must be aware that to attract overseas students they must provide attractive, high-quality courses, but the thing that most attracts overseas students to Scotland is the quality of the university education. That is not being diminished—indeed, we know that it is being improved.

This morning I had a breakfast meeting with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, in which we discussed with university principals and others the way in which university students could be attracted from Hong Kong, and Scottish students could go to study there. That living exchange is very important in taking the quality of our university sector ever higher.

I call Margaret McCulloch to ask question 8.

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Schools (First Aid Teaching)

8. Thank you, Presiding Officer—second time lucky.

To ask the Scottish Executive how it promotes the teaching of first aid and life support skills in schools. (S4O-00161)

We recognise the important role that the national health service and charitable organisations can play in visiting schools to help to give children and young people skills that could potentially save a life.

The experiences and outcomes under curriculum for excellence contain a section on physical wellbeing, which includes the words:

“I know and can demonstrate how to keep myself and others safe and how to respond in a range of emergency situations.”

It is for schools and local authorities to decide what resources to put in place to take that learning forward.

To support Scottish schools and local authorities, officials from the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and relevant charities are working in partnership to develop a case study resource on the teaching of emergency life support skills in schools.

I thank the minister for his response and for his letter to my office on the subject. I welcome assurances that the Scottish Government will work with the British Red Cross, the British Heart Foundation and others to take forward the teaching of emergency life-saving skills.

I impress on the minister the importance of emergency life-saving skills, and ask that he joins me and other members in calling for a nationwide roll-out of emergency life-saving skills in every school in every part of Scotland. Will he take it upon himself to monitor that roll-out?

I very much welcome the sentiments that have been expressed. I monitor the activities of local authorities and schools on the issue and I certainly welcome what they do.

Margaret McCulloch mentioned the British Heart Foundation. I commend its work through its heartstart programme. I intend to keep in touch with charities and local authorities on the issue.

Fiona McLeod has withdrawn question 9 because she is dealing with a family illness.

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Students (Council Tax Exemption)

10. To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has made to exempt students on two plus two degrees and those moving from undergraduate to postgraduate degrees from paying council tax. (S4O-00163)

I confirm that the Scottish Government is committed to taking forward proposals to extend the council tax exemption to articulating students, so that those who are on two plus two degrees or other articulating courses and students who move directly from an undergraduate course to a postgraduate course will not pay council tax in the short period between courses. We are considering how best to implement those proposals.

The issue relates to reducing the financial burden on students, which I think that we all agree will widen access and which is an imperative priority for all of us.

The National Union of Students Scotland is extremely supportive of the Government’s decision to consider the provision of a £7,000 minimum income for students. Will the cabinet secretary give more detail on who else might be included in the working group on that, to ensure that as many voices as possible are heard? When might provisional findings of the working group be published?

I am grateful for the positive support from the National Union of Students, with which we have tried to maintain a close relationship in the past two years as we have discussed student finance. At the heart of that relationship is our commitment that Scotland-domiciled students should not pay university fees.

I am committed to the minimum income. To deliver it, we must not only secure the funds—we are in the process of doing so through the spending review—but be absolutely certain that we have the administrative arrangements so to do. As the First Minister said last week, one downside of the scaremongering about university fees in which some parties in the chamber have indulged has been an extraordinary upsurge in pressure on phone lines at the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. We must ensure that that agency can continue to deliver to Scottish students and that its technology is developed so that it can deliver different support, such as the minimum student income. I hope that those systems can be developed in the next year to 18 months.

I say to members and ministers that we have a lot of business to go through, so I would appreciate short supplementaries and short answers.

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Universities (Computer Science)

11. To ask the Scottish Government what change there has been in the number of students taking computer science as their main subject at university over the last four years. (S4O-00164)

The number of students who take computer science as their main subject at university has fallen by 1,245 in the past four years, but the number increased by 560 on the previous year to 9,470 in 2010.

The cabinet secretary is well aware of the impact that computer science and software have on modern society. Is he concerned that student numbers for the subject appear to have dropped off? Will he consider measures to further promote interest among our school pupils—and particularly female school pupils—in computer science and software engineering?

We always remain aware of the need to encourage all science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects. We promote STEM subjects in schools. I launched “Science & Engineering 21—Action Plan for education for the 21st Century” in March. I also work closely with the chief scientific adviser on gender participation in science. We keep such subjects under review, but the general trend in STEM subjects is—fortunately—upwards.

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Universities (Degree Costs)

12. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on some students from England having to pay £36,000 for an honours degree course at certain Scottish universities. (S4O-00165)

Under our proposals, it will be up to individual universities to manage and set their fee levels for students from the rest of the United Kingdom. However, as the First Minister said yesterday, we would have preferred “a more moderate” approach from some Scottish universities when setting their tuition fees.

I counsel the Parliament that we need to wait and see what the average fee level across Scottish institutions is, whether that corresponds to what the working group, which included universities, suggested it would be and what the overall fee levels are across English institutions.

In view of the cabinet secretary’s obvious unease on the issue, will he ensure that no students from England pay more for a degree in a Scottish university than they would in England by introducing a cap at £27,000? More generally, will he ensure—whether by using the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council mechanism that I suggested in a debate last week or some other method—that no university has a financial incentive to recruit more English students and fewer Scottish ones?

To answer the second point first, such a mechanism is in place. Universities will not—I repeat: they will not—recruit fee-paying students from England at the expense of Scottish students. That mechanism exists and I have indicated that I am willing to consider a double lock to ensure that that situation does not happen. I have the assurance of the universities that it will not happen and there is the mechanism through the funding council to prevent it.

On the other point, we must wait and see what the figures are, and I will do so. I am sure that universities are considering the decisions that have been made by one or two others and thinking about what they should do. At the end of the process, when all the Scottish universities have made a decision, I am happy to have a discussion on how we go forward and to listen to members’ views on that.

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Further Education (Course Choices)

13. To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages further education establishments to collaborate on course choices across the country. (S4O-00166)

The courses that are offered by a college are ultimately a decision for its governing body, but colleges must take into account the Government’s strategic priorities and the guidance that is issued to colleges by the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, both of which have highlighted the need to secure best value from resources, including through collaboration between institutions. As I made clear yesterday in my statement on post-16 education reform, we continue to seek a much more efficient and effective delivery landscape.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is time for colleges to collaborate more and compete with one another less to ensure that student places are protected and that the quality of courses and institutions is enhanced?

I certainly agree that there is a place for a reduction in wasteful duplication. As I said yesterday, the history of colleges in Scotland shows that the current system arose out of a series of reforms that had benefits at the early stage but which, in latter stages, and particularly in recent years, have encouraged a lack of accountability and a certain competition, which has led to wasteful use of resources. Given the enormous pressure that we are under because of the actions of Labour when in government and now the Liberals and Conservatives, we must ensure that every penny goes into the front line, and that is what we will try to do.

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College Bursaries

14. To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made for college bursaries for 2011-12. (S4O-00167)

Following what was already a record level of funding in 2010-11, the Scottish budget in February boosted support to college students in the current year to £95.5 million, which is a real-terms increase of no less than 9.4 per cent. Of that amount, £79 million will support bursaries, with the remainder helping with childcare and cases of hardship. That is providing significant financial protection to college students at a time when many other budgets are having to be cut as a result of the £1.3 billion reduction in Scotland’s block grant by the United Kingdom Government.

The minister will be aware of college students’ long-held frustration with the current college bursary system and its first-come, first-served postcode-lottery nature. I was happy to hear in the cabinet secretary’s statement yesterday that the Scottish Government is considering exploring entitlement-based support for non-advanced study, which would give potential students, including those in my region, the security and certainty that they need when deciding on going to college. Will the minister confirm the timescale of his changes to further education student support?

I welcome that contribution to the debate—and I would welcome further contributions to it by the end of the year. As emerged in the cabinet secretary’s comments yesterday, it has become clear that there is a balancing act between the autonomy of colleges and their accountability. One element of their accountability that we must explore is the system of discretionary support to students—we must consider whether it should continue in its present form. I would welcome the member’s further contribution to that debate.

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Madras College

15. To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the University of St Andrews and Fife Council about plans to replace Madras College with a single-site secondary school. (S4O-00168)

I had meetings with representatives from the University of St Andrews and Fife Council in June about the plans for Madras College. In addition, my officials had several discussions with both parties throughout the summer.

The cabinet secretary will be aware of the level of concern about the failure of Fife Council and the University of St Andrews to reach a partnership agreement, which would have meant the building of a single-site secondary school in St Andrews. Indeed, talks between the two parties broke down despite Scottish Government officials stepping in to oversee negotiations. Given that the current school building is D rated, the circumstances are very disappointing, particularly as the St Andrews partnership proposal was forward thinking. Will the Scottish Government make representations to Fife Council to impress on it the need to ensure that a solution can be found as soon as possible?

I will certainly impress that on Fife Council—indeed, I have done that, and it has impressed on me its great desire to ensure that there is a new school. I think that it will decide the way forward on 22 September, and that the replacement of Madras College remains on its agenda.

I am very disappointed about what has happened, as I was an enthusiastic backer of a very good and positive scheme. I have spoken to the University of St Andrews about its future intentions, and it has given me a commitment on its wanting to see a collaboration between it—particularly those involved in its science course—and the new school. However, what has happened is disappointing, which is why I have lent my personal support to seeing whether we can get a solution at the last moment.

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Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (New Inspection Framework)

16. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the findings arising from the first HMIE inspections under the newly introduced inspection framework. (S4O-00169)

The first inspections by Education Scotland, which is the new agency that has been created by bringing together the functions of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education and Learning and Teaching Scotland, began in September. Education Scotland has evaluation processes in place for reviewing the findings of its inspections and reporting relevant findings to the Scottish ministers.

Will the cabinet secretary join me in congratulating the schools in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth on the excellent number of HMIE reports that they have received? In particular, will he join me in congratulating Whitelees primary school, which was, I understand, the first to get five “excellent” awards under the new inspection regime? Will he also agree to visit that school at some point in the future with me?

I am always happy to visit the member’s constituency and to visit good schools. There are many good schools in Scotland.

I want to record the success of the new rural primary and small primary inspection regime, which seems to be doing well, and that Luing primary school, which is in my constituency, received an “outstanding” report.

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Free University Education

17. To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to provide non-domiciled United Kingdom students with free university education. (S4O-00170)

If we were to meet the cost of the tuition fees for students from other parts of the United Kingdom on the basis of the current fees—that is, £1,820—it would cost the Scottish Government more than £36 million.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that the Scottish Government has had to react to the UK Government’s inexplicable decision to increase tuition fees throughout England and Wales and that those who suggest that either no fees or minimal fees should be applied need to explain how they would provide funding and what the impact would be on places for Scottish students?

I certainly agree with the member, and I find it most regrettable that we are in the position that we are in. We are in that position because of decisions that were made in a review that the Labour Party commissioned and which the Tories and Liberal Democrats implemented. That said, my duty and primary responsibility is to be absolutely certain that we can provide the free education that the Scottish Government has offered to Scotland-domiciled students, and that is exactly what we will do.

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Additional Support for Learning (Glasgow)

18. To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council about the provision of additional support for learning in schools. (S4O-00171)

Although there have been no meetings specifically on the subject of the provision of additional support for learning in schools, Scottish Government officials regularly meet Glasgow City Council representatives to discuss a wide range of issues. In addition to those meetings, a representative of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland is a member of the Scottish Government additional support for learning implementation group.

Does the minister agree that the welfare of the child should be paramount and that every play area in an ASL school should have adequate space to assist the child’s development? If so, will she endeavour to write to Glasgow City Council to urge it to look at the play areas in all its ASL schools and to enlarge them if that is required?

I certainly agree that the welfare of the child is paramount. Play is a crucial part of a child’s development, and that is all the more true for children with additional support needs.

The member may be interested to know that there are no specific regulations for playgrounds other than that if there are more than 50 children, supervision is needed.

I must stress that the issue is entirely for Glasgow City Council. However, if the member would find it helpful, I would happily make inquiries of that council, as I am always very interested in how we are meeting the needs, including the play needs, of children with additional support needs.