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The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19015, in the name of John Swinney, on the appointment of a junior Scottish minister. I remind members that, under rule 11.3.1 of standing orders, the question on the motion will be put immediately after the debate.
14:19
The ministerial changes that I am making today arise from the resignation on Friday of Jamie Hepburn as Minister for Parliamentary Business. Jamie Hepburn did not behave as he believed he should have done in the Parliament last Wednesday, so he tendered his resignation to me. A few moments ago, he offered an apology to the Parliament, which, along with his decision to resign, demonstrates the strength of character that he brings to his parliamentary service. I thank him for his service as a member of the Government in a number of different portfolios, and especially for the way in which he has worked with other parties in taking forward the parliamentary business programme in a collaborative and consultative way throughout his time as Minister for Parliamentary Business.
I am pleased that Graeme Dey, who is widely respected across the Parliament, will now take up the role of Minister for Parliamentary Business. His formidable experience in working with others to create common ground will be invaluable to us all as we complete the business of this parliamentary session. I have also asked him to continue his excellent work as Minister for Veterans.
I am pleased to welcome Ben Macpherson to the role of Minister for Higher and Further Education, subject to the Parliament’s approval this afternoon, to build on Graeme Dey’s work. Ben Macpherson was a valued minister between 2018 and 2023, when he served under my predecessors in a variety of positions, including as Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, Minister for Public Finance and Migration, and Minister for Social Security and Local Government. To each role, he brought a constructive approach, building coalitions to deliver the Government’s ambitious and shared agenda.
As a back bencher, Ben Macpherson has brought a collaborative approach to the Parliament. Most recently, he served as a member of the Criminal Justice Committee—indeed, he took my place on that committee—and as convener of the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee, which included leading the committee debate on the review last week.
The role of Minister for Higher and Further Education is crucial in ensuring that our education institutions can play a full part in delivering an agenda of dynamic economic growth that will benefit all the people of Scotland, and in ensuring that individuals in Scotland—especially our young people—have access to higher and further education opportunities that will meet their needs and provide the foundations for their later life. I know that Ben Macpherson will give energetic commitment to advancing that important work and to taking forward the Government’s skills agenda, through which we must ensure that we have all the skills and talent in our economy to support the developments that the Government wishes to see in place.
With pleasure, I move,
That the Parliament agrees that Ben Macpherson be appointed as a junior Scottish Minister.
14:22
I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives about the appointment of Ben Macpherson as Minister for Higher and Further Education. For many people in Edinburgh, Ben first came to our attention in the summer of 2004, when he walked from Edinburgh to London to raise awareness of the annual international day of peace. After the events of the past week, perhaps the Government could, indeed, do with the qualities of spreading peace and love, which I know Mr Macpherson will bring to the role.
Those who follow politics will know that two notable ministers decided to leave the Scottish Government under Humza Yousaf in March 2023—Ben Macpherson and the First Minister—so it is not surprising that both have returned to the Government.
In 2016, I was elected alongside Ben Macpherson to represent constituents in Edinburgh. I know that members across the chamber have always recognised him as a good friend, and he is an MSP who is both respected and rated by all in the chamber.
I am sure that Ben, as a proud George Heriot’s boy, will be at the forefront of making the case in the Scottish Government for continued support for our independent schools in Edinburgh.
Ben Macpherson is a keen supporter of apprentices. Members might not know this, but he served his own apprenticeship in his youth, when he was involved in the Edinburgh Labour Party and did work experience with the local MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Malcolm Chisholm. Like all good apprentices, he decided to do what many do and went on to take his job in 2016.
As the First Minister has stated, Ben Macpherson returns to the Government with significant ministerial experience. On a personal note, I hope that this will, indeed, be his last junior ministerial apprenticeship. The Conservatives wish him well in his role in the Government.
14:24
I warmly congratulate Ben Macpherson on his appointment as Minister for Higher and Further Education and welcome him to that vital role. I look forward to working with him again and to enjoying lively discussion, as we did previously when he and I were serving in the social security briefs.
I also put on the record my thanks to his predecessor, Graeme Dey, for his service and engagement and, in particular, for meeting disabled people recently to discuss access to apprenticeships. I hope that Mr Macpherson will continue to pursue that endeavour.
This ministerial role is crucial to Scotland’s future. It needs focus and leadership, and I hope that the new minister will rise to that challenge. When he does so, and when he does the right thing for students, staff and institutions, I assure him that he will find constructive common ground and partners on the Labour benches.
The challenges that are faced are urgent. Colleges saw real-terms funding reductions of 17 per cent between 2021 and 2025, with some closing campuses and student and staff numbers reducing. According to Universities Scotland, universities face a perfect storm, as they are receiving 19 per cent less per Scottish student than they received a decade ago, and they are shedding staff while students are faced with fewer options and, in some cases, less support. The pressures on institutional sustainability are unprecedented. On that, I ask for the new minister’s early commitment to on-going discussions with Universities Scotland and the sector, working to develop a more sustainable long-term financial model and to involve institutions, trade unions, staff and students for the greater good of Scotland and a brighter and more prosperous future for the sector.
We in the Labour Party look forward to engaging with Mr Macpherson in good faith, because Scotland’s learners and education providers deserve no less. I congratulate him again on his appointment, and I look forward to working with him in due course.
14:26
On behalf of the Scottish Green Party, I welcome Ben Macpherson’s appointment as Minister for Higher and Further Education. It is a critical appointment at a time when Scotland’s tertiary education system stands on the cusp of significant reform. I also recognise Graeme Dey’s power of work and leadership in that area, which has gotten us to this point.
The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill presents an opportunity to reshape how we support learners, educators and institutions. We welcome the bill’s intention to simplify the funding landscape and strengthen the role of the Scottish Funding Council. The proposed statutory framework for apprenticeships and work-based learning is a step forward, but it must be matched by a commitment to fair work, inclusive access and climate-conscious skills development. We are particularly focused on ensuring that the bill delivers for learners who have been historically underserved, such as those in rural communities, disabled students and those from low-income backgrounds.
The Scottish Green Party will continue to advocate for robust student support mechanisms and for a system that prioritises public good over market forces. We note the bill’s provisions on governance reform, including the creation of an apprenticeship committee and new expectations for council membership. Those changes must embed transparency and ensure that learners, staff and communities have a meaningful voice in decision making.
Ben Macpherson brings experience and a thoughtful approach to the role. We look forward to working constructively with him to ensure that the legislation delivers a tertiary education system that is fairer, greener and more resilient.
14:28
I start by acknowledging the apology that Jamie Hepburn made to the chamber earlier, which I thank him for. I also join other members in congratulating Ben Macpherson on his appointment. I have known him for his entire time in the Parliament, and he has always been committed to working across parties. He took that approach into Government during his previous time as a minister, and I am sure that he will continue that in this role. As other members have observed, the college and university sector is not without significant—some might say existential—challenges, and such an approach will be all the more important to the work. Again, I congratulate Ben Macpherson and wish him well in this crucial role.
That concludes the debate on the appointment of a junior Scottish minister.
The question is, that motion S6M-19015, in the name of John Swinney, on the appointment of a junior Scottish minister, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that Ben Macpherson be appointed as a junior Scottish Minister.
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