Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Official Report 1318KB pdf

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Portfolio Question Time

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Education and Lifelong Learning

The next item of business is portfolio questions. In order to get in as many members as possible, I would prefer short and succinct questions and answers to match, please.

Question 1, from Drew Smith, has been withdrawn, and an explanation has been provided.

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Dumfries and Galloway Council (Meetings)

2. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the director of education at Dumfries and Galloway Council and what matters were discussed. (S4O-02898)

Scottish Government officials regularly meet the director of education at Dumfries and Galloway Council to discuss a wide range of education issues.

I hope that that would include the introduction of the new higher qualifications. I ask that because I have been contacted by teachers in my constituency who are quite concerned about the timetable for the introduction of the new higher qualification and, indeed, the lack of materials and training to enable them to deliver it.

I am aware that individual schools have been given a welcome degree of flexibility over the introduction of the qualification. What steps has the Government taken to ensure that teachers have received the necessary training and development to deliver the new courses? I seek the cabinet secretary’s assurance that sufficient course work and assessment materials will be available on time.

I am very pleased to say that the Scottish Qualifications Authority has missed not a single deadline at any level in the programme of delivering curriculum for excellence, and I am absolutely certain that it will not miss these deadlines.

The materials are being provided, and we have provided additional training and materials whenever that has been requested or whenever we think that that is something that teachers would look for. That approach continues, and my colleague Dr Allan is constantly looking for ways in which we can carry on supporting teachers.

On the highers themselves, I indicated last November when I spoke to School Leaders Scotland that there was a view that the highers were on track for delivery but that, if any individual school—or teachers of an individual subject—doubted that, there was flexibility. Unlike the national 4 and national 5 qualifications, the highers will be dual running for at least a year, given that some young people take highers in secondary 5 and some take them in secondary 6.

There is therefore flexibility, although I do not believe that it will be widely used. The schools that I visit—I know that Dr Allan visits many schools, too—are working very hard to deliver a series of courses that are very good for young people and which are expanding their horizons and Scotland’s ability to move forward.

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Foreign Language Engagement Strategy

3. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its foreign language engagement strategy. (S4O-02899)

The Scottish Government takes very seriously the issue of language learning and teaching. That is why we have made a commitment to create the conditions in which every child in Scottish schools will have the opportunity to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue by 2020. That is of course the Barcelona one-plus-two model.

Engagement on that vital one-plus-two policy is progressing well. Our strategic implementation group is leading this progress, working with local authorities, Education Scotland and other bodies involved in planning and delivering enhanced language learning in schools.

As convener of the cross-party group on Germany, I have noted that the number of school pupils presented for German exams and the number of German-speaking foreign language assistants in Scottish schools have declined over the past decade. What is the Scottish Government doing to reverse that specific trend?

I am aware of the member’s interest in the issue and the statistics to which he refers. At the same time, it is worth saying that the overall number of foreign language assistants in schools has increased marginally—or, in fact, more than marginally—from 59 to 73 in the past two years from 2011-12 to 2013-14. However, I am aware of the specific issues around German. I have met the German consul and others to ensure that we press forward on the agenda to ensure that German is among the languages promoted in Scotland’s schools.

Figures that the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service released last month highlight an 11 per cent reduction in the number of Scots who apply to study European languages and literature at university and a 36 per cent reduction in the number of those who apply to study non-European languages and literature. As Colin Beattie said, the number of foreign language classroom assistants has fallen—from 284 in 2005-06 to 73 today. How can we be confident that school pupils throughout Scotland are being given opportunities to learn languages at school and to continue that study at university?

Although I would not read too much into a single set of UCAS figures, it does, I suppose, highlight the need for modern languages to be taught much more widely, and also much earlier, in schools. The lesson from foreign language learning in other countries is that it simply happens earlier, which is why I hope that the one-plus-two model of learning languages in primary schools will in time feed through to the number of qualifications that are taken in secondary schools and at universities.

It is also worth saying that additional qualifications such as those in languages for life and work are useful for people who may not wish to study a modern language in its own right at university but who do wish to work or study abroad.

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Curriculum for Excellence (Online Safety)

4. To ask the Scottish Government how the curriculum for excellence addresses the threats posed to children and young people through internet access and social media. (S4O-02900)

Children and young people will learn about the safe and responsible use of different technologies, including the internet and social media, as part of their broad general education under the curriculum for excellence. Furthermore, all staff in schools share a responsibility for identifying and responding to the care and wellbeing needs of children and young people, whatever the cause.

In November 2013, the Scottish Government published guidance on developing policies to promote the safe and responsible use of mobile technologies in schools. It provides advice for local authorities and schools on how to develop appropriate policies that encourage safe and responsible use while protecting staff, children and young people from the harassment and abuse that can arise from the misuse of such technology.

The issue requires more time than can be afforded through oral questions, but given the serious threat that internet activities such as sexting and neknominate and the easy access to pornography pose to young people’s wellbeing, how can our schools help to encourage young people to have the confidence to refuse to consent to unwanted activity and others to respect that decision to refuse consent?

The member raises some important and troubling questions. I think that it is fair to say that bringing stakeholders together on the matter, as happened at the recent summit that Aileen Campbell and I held, is a useful way forward. It is about ensuring that the culture is such that, from an early age, schools promote among individuals a sense of wellbeing and confidence, as the member puts it, and confidence about how to use the internet safely.

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Curriculum for Excellence (New Higher Examinations)

5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that schools will be in a position to implement the new higher examinations through the curriculum for excellence in 2014-15. (S4O-02901)

Yes—schools across Scotland continue to make good progress on all aspects of the curriculum for excellence including the new national qualifications. Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Scottish Government and local authorities are delivering a wide range of support to help teachers to introduce the new highers. We have made it clear that they provide smooth progression from the new national 5 qualifications and that we therefore consider them to be the natural option next session for young people in Scotland.

We also recognise that there needs to be some scope for local flexibility based on professional judgment whereby teachers can work closely with their senior management, their local authority and the parent body to make a decision in the best interests of their learners. We will continue to provide support wherever it is needed.

Is the minister aware that Fife Council agreed to put in £400,000 to support the introduction of the new higher after carrying out a survey of all schools in Fife that showed that there is a need for much more support and that teachers are under massive pressure? Will he agree to meet me to discuss the matter further?

I should have thanked Mr Rowley for what was, I believe, his first oral question in the Parliament. I welcome him to his role—but that leaves him under no obligation to welcome my answers.

I agree that the provision of support is important, and it is central to what we are doing. I understand from the contact between Education Scotland and Fife Council that support has been requested in five areas and has been provided, and that Education Scotland is in no doubt about the council’s ability to do what is asked of it with regard to the new qualifications. I am willing to meet Alex Rowley to discuss any outstanding issues that he wishes to raise.

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Universities Scotland (Meetings)

6. To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met representatives of Universities Scotland. (S4O-02902)

I met representatives of Universities Scotland on 3 February when I chaired a meeting of the university sector advisory forum.

I was recently made aware of a situation in which two pupils who attended neighbouring schools in my region wished to study medicine at the University of Glasgow. Both pupils received the same exam results, but one pupil was admitted and one was not. That was because one of the schools was targeted for the university’s reach programme, and the pupil who attended that school, which has a lower higher education progression rate, was given the opportunity to participate in it.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that the current policy is discriminatory and that there should be an equal playing field so that all pupils, regardless of their school, should be permitted to participate in the reach programme if they do not achieve the required grades?

That is a curious assertion, because it goes very much against the idea that we should find ways of widening access to all higher education, which I thought that Siobhan McMahon’s party supported. If we were to abandon an initiative such as the reach programme, we would make it significantly harder to widen access.

It is important, however, that we recognise another issue that Siobhan McMahon correctly raises: that widening-access places in medicine are extraordinarily sought after. In those circumstances I, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, met representatives from Scotland’s five medical schools on 15 January. That was my second meeting with those representatives to discuss and consider options for widening access and the appropriate balance of undergraduates in those schools. We will progress ideas in that regard.

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National Guidance on Political Literacy (Falkirk Council)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Falkirk Council regarding the implementation of national guidance on political literacy. (S4O-02903)

Education Scotland has produced guidance to support the teaching and learning of political literacy, and it emphasises the importance of young people receiving information in an impartial and balanced way.

The Scottish Government has had no direct discussions with Falkirk Council about implementing the national guidance. It is for schools and local authorities to decide how to progress the implementation of the curriculum, including political literacy.

Locally I have heard fifth-year and sixth-year pupils crying out for information in their respective schools, and I am pleased to see that Falkirk Council has—albeit belatedly—recently approved plans to address issues with regard to political literacy and the referendum.

Political literacy is an important component of curriculum for excellence and is central to citizenship education. What safeguards are in place to ensure that 16 and 17-year-olds who are attending school or college receive information in a clear, accessible and impartial way?

Angus MacDonald rightly highlights the need to ensure that all young people have such information, along with the skills that they need to interpret the material that they see in the press and the confidence to read about issues in the public domain. Political literacy is about giving people those life skills rather than seeking to infringe on the choices that they will make, and that will have to be done impartially.

It is important to note that local authorities, Education Scotland and organisations such as the Electoral Commission all contribute to ensuring that those ends are met.

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Household Income (Childcare)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of household income people spend on childcare. (S4O-02904)

Parents in the United Kingdom face some of the highest childcare costs in Europe. Although those costs are currently lower in Scotland than in England—£94.35 per week in comparison with £106.52 for two, three and four-year-olds—parents in Scotland still spend approximately 27 per cent of household income on childcare, in comparison with an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 12 per cent.

The Government recognises that the cost of childcare imposes a substantial burden on families, which is why we have set out the childcare commitments in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill and in our white paper, “Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland.” Those commitments will make a significant impact on the affordability of childcare for all families with children from the age of one to school starting age.

The minister commented on the OECD average being only 12 per cent. Given that that is the case, does the minister agree with me that only the full powers of independence will enable Scotland to have one of the best childcare systems in the world?

Yes, unsurprisingly I agree with Mr McMillan. For the first time ever, via the white paper, we have a blueprint for achieving universal childcare here in Scotland. We know that increasing the participation of women in the labour market by 6 per cent will increase the tax intake by £700 million.

In short, if we want social democracy—which I do—we very much need to have the ability to pay for it. It is therefore important that the Parliament has control over both sides of the balance sheet. This is an example of how social and economic policy must go hand in hand.

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School Leavers (Outcomes)

9. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve outcomes for school leavers. (S4O-02905)

The Government is focused on improving the level of qualification of all our young people leaving school, and on ensuring access to opportunities for them to continue their education or to get a job.

The year 2013 saw record exam passes, with rates increasing for all major qualifications and a record-breaking 91 per cent of our school leavers entering an initial positive destination.

Our “opportunities for all” commitment guarantees an offer of a place in learning or training for every 16 to 19-year-old who wants one, and we work closely with schools to help young people to make a successful transition into employment, learning or training. More than 60 per cent of school leavers enter higher or further education, with institutions now offering wider access to students from the most deprived neighbourhoods.

We are also supporting young people who are opting to join the workforce. We have exceeded our ambitious target of delivering 25,000 modern apprenticeships in 2012-13 and we are improving work experience opportunities for young people through schemes such as the certificate of work readiness.

The minister will be aware of a series of jobs fairs that I have been holding across my constituency. One of the key issues that is coming out of those from the young people who attend them is the attainment gap. What progress is being made in reducing the attainment gap between the most and least economically disadvantaged pupils, and in ensuring that more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds get access to apprenticeships, training for work, or further and higher education?

I thank Christina McKelvie for the question. I put on record the efforts of Christina McKelvie and other MSPs who have run successful jobs fairs, which I believe have a positive contribution to make at local level.

There is political consensus across the chamber about addressing the attainment gap, and there is a desire to do much more. The attainment gap is of course narrowing, but we want to make faster progress. Government policies such as getting it right for every child, curriculum for excellence, opportunities for all and even the youth work framework are all important. The work that we are doing in the early years is also crucial. For example, this afternoon we will debate landmark legislation on improving the welfare and early education of Scotland’s children.

On widening access, which Christina McKelvie raised, widening access agreements are important. In my portfolio area, there is work in and around the Wood commission on how we can create clearer pathways so that all young people are better apprised of the vocational, educational and training opportunities that are available to them.

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Edinburgh College (Meetings)

10. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Edinburgh College and what issues were discussed. (S4O-02906)

I met several Edinburgh College representatives on the first birthday reception that the college held in the Parliament on 1 October. The reception was hosted by Colin Beattie MSP and Kezia Dugdale MSP. The topics of conversation were many and varied.

The cabinet secretary will be aware of the industrial action at Edinburgh College. Regardless of the fact that the Scottish Government has no direct locus in that, will the cabinet secretary join me in wishing for a swift resolution to the dispute—to the satisfaction in particular of the staff?

I would be happy to join Mr Biagi and the whole Parliament in wishing for a speedy resolution to the dispute. I urge both sides to work constructively towards that end. It is, of course, a fact that staff pay and conditions are matters for colleges to determine. However, negotiation is the only way to conclude such disputes.

Of course, negotiations are still under way at this moment.

Can the cabinet secretary assure us that no student will be financially penalised for observing and respecting the strike action?

Some students are facing higher national diploma assessments at the moment. If, next week, the strike moves to three days a week, they will be materially affected. What additional support can the cabinet secretary provide for those students?

I would not expect any student to be penalised. The best support that the students can have is resolution of the dispute, therefore the proper position of politicians with regard to this matter is, I think, to urge that the dispute be resolved; the opportunity exists to resolve it. Like Marco Biagi, I wish for a speedy resolution and I urge both sides to work constructively towards that end because it is a matter for both sides to conclude.

Does the cabinet secretary believe that it is reasonable to continue to expect lecturers to teach up to 24 hours a week at degree level?

It would be far better if Mary Scanlon took the stance that I have taken—and which I think even Kezia Dugdale may be taking—which is to say that negotiations are under way and that it is best that the parties to the negotiations reach a conclusion that is in everybody’s interests. I do not want to second guess any aspect of the negotiations. I regret that that is what the member is trying to get me to do.

I agree that we need a swift resolution to the dispute.

Is the cabinet secretary aware that more than 51 per cent of staff absences at Edinburgh College are the result of stress, depression, anxiety and fatigue, and that many of the lecturers whom I met last week said that part of the challenge is in dealing with the aftermath of the merger of the three constituent parts of Edinburgh College?

I say to Sarah Boyack, as I have just said to other members, that the proper response is to urge resolution of the dispute so that both sides can move forward in a way that will ensure that students are not affected, that the valuable work of staff is recognised and that the college can move ahead.

Merger processes are always difficult, but the Edinburgh College merger has been hugely successful. It is a college of scale that has huge ambition, and whose first birthday was celebrated across this chamber. We need to ensure that the college moves on, but it will do so only if both sides resolve the dispute. I think that that is the will of every member in this chamber, whether they represent Edinburgh or simply have an interest in the college sector. I urge members to urge both sides to reconciliation and resolution of the dispute.

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West of Scotland College (Meetings)

11. To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met the principal of West of Scotland College and what was discussed. (S4O-02907)

I met the principal of West of Scotland College, along with other principals, college sector representatives and other stakeholders at the further education strategic forum in September 2013. The forum considered a range of matters relating to learner success, and the interim report of the commission for developing Scotland’s young workforce.

Between 2007-08 and 2012-13, the number of part-time students studying at James Watt College plummeted by more than 9,000. Does the cabinet secretary share my concern that that trend impacts negatively on our economy, and on the life chances of adult learners who rely on part-time courses for second-chance learning and career development? How will the merged college sector reverse that depressing trend and increase the ability of part-time students to access and participate in college education?

I recommend that Duncan McNeil go to that college, which is part of West of Scotland College, and talk to the principal and staff. That would enable him to understand the changes in the college sector as they understand them, which is that they are a positive benefit for young people and older people who want to access employment opportunities. That is what has taken place.

Duncan McNeil should really start looking at what is taking place in colleges—the opportunities that they are offering and the huge change for the better that has taken place. To hark back constantly to another era when colleges were not reformed and were not able to deliver in the way that they are now delivering helps nobody; it certainly does not help Parliament’s understanding of education. We have heard yet again—

Part-time—

Order.

Duncan McNeil is keen to shout out. Mr McNeil can shout out inaccuracies all that he wishes. The reality is that he needs to recognise the benefits of reform and to get behind that reform, in the interests of his constituents.

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“UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey”

12. To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it can learn from the results of the recent “UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey” in relation to its youth work strategy. (S4O-02908)

The results from the UK Commission’s employer survey have confirmed that young people in Scotland are better prepared for work than are their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Our all-Government, all-Scotland approach to getting young people ready for work is making a difference.

The “Employer Skills Survey” stresses the importance of skills readiness for young people who leave school and go directly into the world of work. Employers in England say that four in 10 are poorly prepared when they reach the workplace. I welcome the fact that the figure in Scotland is 10 per cent better. However, what work is under way to address the three in 10 young people who go from school directly into the world of work whom employers say are still not fully work ready?

It is important to recognise that the “Employer Skills Survey” is the principal source of information about employers’ perceptions of the labour market. It is good news overall that employers who employ young people are satisfied with the work readiness of 65 per cent of young people. The amount increases for young people who have been to college and university. Employer satisfaction in relation to work readiness of young people who have been to university is in excess of 80 per cent.

However, one young person who is disadvantaged in entering the workplace is one too many. The aspiration of the Government, as was recently laid out by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, is to raise that figure from 65 per cent to more than 90 per cent. The work that we are pursuing in the curriculum for excellence and via the employment agenda recognises that young people in Scotland are better qualified than ever before; they are better prepared for work and are more work ready than their counterparts elsewhere. However, what many young people lack is work experience, which is why we are investing heavily in things such as the certificate of work readiness, activity agreements and community jobs Scotland.

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Nursery Education (Edinburgh)

13. To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of pupils who started primary 1 in Edinburgh schools in August 2013 had not had six terms of nursery education. (S4O-02909)

I am sorry to say that the Scottish Government does not hold that information. Current policy is that children start funded early learning and childcare from the term after their third birthday. That means that children who are born between March and August will receive six terms, children who are born between September and December will receive five terms and children who are born between January and February will receive four terms. The parents of children who do not receive six terms can request that school entry be deferred for an additional year, which enables the child to start school when they are closer to five and a half years of age.

Does the minister share my concerns that children who start school at four have also had the least nursery education and are therefore doubly disadvantaged when they start school? For example, a child whose birthday is in February will get four terms and start school at four and a half. Deferment is possible in Edinburgh only if the child’s birthday is in January or February, not if their birthday is in November or December. Does the minister realise that, in a sense, the situation is worse in many schools in Edinburgh because the demand is so great that routinely a significant number of children have only one year of nursery education? I know that there is not an easy answer, but does she think that there is a problem there to be addressed?

The situation is complex and it is important to recognise that some local authorities can and do provide beyond the statutory entitlement; West Lothian Council has children commencing nursery very soon after their third birthday. That is something that the Scottish Government certainly encourages local authorities to do if they have the capacity to do so.

It is, of course, open to parents of children of the younger age group—those whose birthdays fall in January or February—to choose to defer the school start so that the children can have an additional pre-school year.

As we expand our childcare provision—whether through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill that we will debate this afternoon, or the ambitions of the white paper—and increase the number of two-year-olds who will be eligible for early years and nursery provision, it is important that the number of two-year-olds who are affected as Malcolm Chisholm described decreases over time.

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Childcare (Budget)

14. To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers that the budget provision for extra childcare will have. (S4O-02910)

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth confirmed as part of the budget that we are providing £190 million to our partners in local government over the next two years to implement the childcare commitments that are set out in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill. We have committed a further £59 million over two years for a phased expansion of childcare eligibility to the most vulnerable two-year-olds. Those investments will deliver significant support for families for whom the costs of childcare can be a challenge. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill contains provisions to extend funded early learning and childcare to a minimum of 600 hours a year, which represents an increase of 45 per cent from the 412.5 hours that we inherited in 2007 and will save families up to £707 per child per year and benefit 120,000 children.

I thank the minister for that comprehensive reply. I note the mention of the childcare provision in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, which we will debate shortly.

Yesterday, the minister announced a review of childcare led by Professor Iram Siraj. Will she provide more detail of what the review will consider and its expected outcomes?

It is important that, as we realise our ambitions for the transformational expansion of childcare, we develop capacity in the sector. Working with children is skilled and important work. It requires qualifications and training. Therefore, it is important that we build the capacity and plan ahead to expand the workforce to match our ambitions.

Professor Iram Siraj will lead an important expert review, which will include a cross-representation of people from the private sector, local government and trade unions and will address skills and qualifications, recruitment and retention, career pathways and, which is important, the status of early years childcare workers, as well as other workforce planning issues.

Question 15, in the name of Murdo Fraser, has been withdrawn and an explanation has been provided.

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Scottish Qualifications Authority (Post-results Service)

16. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding the post-results service. (S4O-02912)

The Scottish Government is in frequent discussion with the Scottish Qualifications Authority on a range of matters relating to the national qualifications, including the new results services.

Who will be expected to pay for the review process for any pupil’s results? There seems to be considerable confusion as to whether that will fall on the local authority or the individual school. Will the minister clarify that?

The member will be aware that we are talking about a number of different processes. First, there is the exceptional circumstances consideration service for people who were absent—perhaps for good reasons such as bereavement or illness—or who, immediately after taking the exam, wish to make the SQA aware that they were in those or similar circumstances. There will be no charge at all for that service.

The other area that we are talking about is the post-results service, in which there is the option for a clerical check or review marking. If that process results in a grade being changed, no charge will be levied.

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Curriculum for Excellence (Energy Industry Pathway)

17. To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the curriculum for excellence is providing an effective pathway for young people to enter a career in the energy industry. (S4O-02913)

I strongly agree with the member—or rather, I will strongly agree with him once I respond to his question; forgive me for my enthusiasm. The curriculum for excellence supports the development of knowledge and skills in young people that will equip them for learning, life and work, including moving into a career in the energy industry. The sciences and technology in particular provide opportunities for learners to explore different types of energy sources and their use. Education Scotland and energy skills Scotland are working together to create better links between the industry and education to support more effective learning and teaching on energy in schools and colleges, and to build young people’s awareness of careers in the sector.

Does the minister agree that the curriculum for excellence provides an opportunity and pathway for our young girls at school to go into careers that are generally orientated towards the male sector?

Only today, I met Mr Russell, Mr Ewing and representatives of other organisations to look at how to promote the energy industry in schools. One issue that has come up again and again—the member has raised it before—is ensuring that there are pathways into the industry specifically for women. That, of course, comes down to the support that we all give to promoting science as a subject in schools for girls, and also to making people aware of the full range of opportunities that exist for employment in the energy sector.

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Training Organisations (Clydebank and Milngavie)

18. To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to local training organisations in Clydebank and Milngavie. (S4O-02914)

Local training organisations in Clydebank and Milngavie have access to the same Scottish Government funding support that is available to all commercial or third sector businesses. In addition, those who are registered on the Skills Development Scotland national learning objectives database can bid to support the delivery of the Scottish Government training programmes, including modern apprenticeships and the employability fund, or to become an individual learning account-approved provider. SDS local skills investment advisers, who operate out of local offices throughout Scotland, are also able to provide support to locally based training providers on skills investment and training issues.

I thank the minister for that full answer. Can she confirm that the Scottish Government will encourage and continue local partnerships between schools and training organisations in Clydebank and Milngavie to ensure that young people have the maximum opportunities to learn new skills?

Absolutely. Local training providers are very important to the local employability infrastructure. I suppose that one of the prevailing themes of the Wood commission’s interim report was how we galvanise and develop further the partnerships between schools, employers and training providers. I know that there are excellent training providers in Mr Paterson’s constituency. I have been out to visit the Lennox Partnership, which I had the good fortune of bumping into again today at the third sector and voluntary sector 10th annual gathering. It spoke about how it had benefited from investment in community jobs Scotland.

Question 19, which was lodged by Margaret McCulloch, has been withdrawn. An explanation has been provided.

I call question 20, which was lodged by Annabelle Ewing. I need very brief questions and answers.

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Childcare

20. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to expand childcare provision. (S4O-02916)

It is all about the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill today. As we know, that bill includes provisions to increase the level and flexibility of funded early learning and childcare for three and four-year-olds and our most vulnerable two-year-olds to a minimum of 600 hours a year from August 2014.

I very much welcome the proposed increase that the minister referred to, of course, which we will look at in considering the bill. However, can she make it quite clear that it is only by voting yes that we can bring about the transformational change in childcare provision that the women of Scotland wish to see?

That is crystal clear. As I said earlier, for the first time ever, we have a blueprint to achieve universal childcare in Scotland. No other Government at the Scottish or United Kingdom levels has ever done that before.