Education and Lifelong Learning
Overseas Teachers (Criminal Record Checks)
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s proposal that overseas teachers wishing to work in Scotland could no longer be subject to a criminal record check. (S4O-03050)
The Scottish Government is determined that appropriate steps be taken to ensure that our children are safe and secure, and that parents have confidence in the arrangements that are in place for safeguarding their children. The General Teaching Council for Scotland has been an independent body since April 2012. It is for the GTCS to satisfy itself about the credentials of teachers who come to Scotland, and to review its procedures, as it is doing at the moment.
It appears that there are cases in which it is impossible for the GTCS to acquire details of applicants’ criminal histories, perhaps because they are refugees or because their native country does not operate a criminal records system. If there is evidence that suitable qualified teachers are being turned away due to insurmountable bureaucratic circumstances that are outwith their control, surely that could be addressed and alternative means of determining the suitability of candidates identified.
However, when reliable records are available, should not parents instead be satisfied that the safety of their children is sufficiently protected by, for example, checks of applicants’ references from past employers and their qualifications?
Is the minister aware of how many of the reported 186 people from outside the United Kingdom who applied to register with the GTCS last year were, due to exceptional circumstances, unable to provide details of their criminal records?
Alison McInnes points to the importance of ensuring the safety of our children. She also points to one of the reasons why the GTCS—which, I stress, is an independent body—is again examining the issue and looking at the circumstances that obtain in different countries. There are a number of issues for the GTCS to consider—not the least of which is the fact that in some countries things are considered to be crimes that are not considered to be crimes here.
Alison McInnes also highlights the bureaucratic difficulties that exist in getting information from other countries. I want her to rest assured that at the very heart of what the GTCS is doing is effort to improve and maintain standards in child safety, and not to compromise them in any way.
Skills Development Scotland (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Skills Development Scotland and what issues were discussed. (S4O-03051)
Scottish Government officials regularly meet Skills Development Scotland counterparts to discuss and monitor the progress of SDS programmes. In addition, I meet quarterly both the chair and the chief executive of Skills Development Scotland to discuss issues of importance in delivery of key ministerial priorities in the youth employment agenda. The most recent meeting with them took place on 28 January.
The recent Audit Scotland report “Modern apprenticeships” states:
“The Scottish Government has not published an explicit statement of its overall aim for modern apprenticeships since 2007.”
It continues:
“The Scottish Government’s annual ministerial guidance letter to SDS focuses on how SDS should allocate apprenticeship places, rather than what the Scottish Government expects modern apprenticeships to achieve.”
What steps will the minister now take to ensure that the aims and objectives are publicised to all the organisations that are involved in delivery of apprenticeships, and to employers and apprentices?
I think that I am very explicit with Skills Development Scotland about the Government’s priorities. That is reflected in the guidance letters.
The Audit Scotland report on the apprenticeship programme is very positive. It comments on the significant achievements of the programme, including the increasing numbers. We know that 92 per cent of those who complete an apprenticeship sustain employment and that achievement rates are up. We also know that the employment rate for people with an apprenticeship qualification sits at 80 per cent, which is higher than the rate for their counterparts who do not have an apprenticeship qualification.
Nonetheless, the Audit Scotland report makes a number of sensible suggestions that the Government will consider. In particular, we recognise the need for more detailed work on the positive impact of apprenticeships in the longer term. We know that many European countries are well able to demonstrate the long-term economic impact of apprenticeships, and we would like to emulate that.
Other work is going on in terms of the Wood report that will be helpful, as well.
Given the importance of the quality of training for modern apprenticeships, why are there no equivalent independent reviews of the quality of the training by training providers that are outwith the further education sector, as is stated in the recent Audit Scotland report?
The interim Wood report also contains important recommendations in that regard. Skills Development Scotland has its own on-going evaluation, but Education Scotland will now have a role in external evaluation of things including the modern apprenticeship programme. We are, of course, confident that we have a good quality programme, which is important and is demonstrated by employer satisfaction rates and the completion and achievement rates, as well as by people going into sustainable employment.
Of course, we are in the business of continuous improvement and, where we can achieve continuous improvement, we certainly will.
Does the minister agree that what disabled people need is the money to live on, and that continuous welfare cuts—
I am sorry, Mr Beattie, but I think that you pressed your request-to-speak button for the wrong question. We are on question 2, which concerns Skills Development Scotland.
I apologise.
Scottish Enlightenment
To ask the Scottish Government whether it encourages schools to teach pupils about the Scottish enlightenment and its impact in Scotland and beyond. (S4O-03052)
The experiences and outcomes of curriculum for excellence provide ample opportunity for the study of the people, ideas and ideals of the Scottish enlightenment and their significant global impact, as part of a wide-ranging and inspiring curriculum for our young people.
The Government encourages learning about Scotland, and has supported the introduction of a Scottish studies award. Education Scotland has a dedicated resource on the enlightenment, including its global impact, in its “Scotland’s History” web pages.
The Scottish enlightenment had a major and long-lasting impact on western thought, empiricism and inductive reasoning, literature, economics, sociology, anthropology, science, medicine, mathematics and music. At a time when Scots suffer from collective self-doubt, surely it is time to ensure that the enlightenment and Scotland’s intellectual contribution to the world is a major part of the curriculum, rather than just a potential part of the curriculum.
I am pleased to say that teaching of history in our schools has changed considerably since Kenneth Gibson and I were at school. Scottish history, including the enlightenment, is a strong theme in the curriculum for excellence from the early stages of primary school onwards. It should be said that Scottish history forms a mandatory element of the national qualifications, comprising a third of the content for the new qualifications up to higher, alongside European and British history. Young people can also take the Scottish studies award in the senior phase, which includes material on the enlightenment—something of which I have always considered Kenneth Gibson to be the living embodiment.
Scottish Qualifications Authority (Appeals)
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Qualifications Authority academic appeals were submitted in 2013 and how many were upheld. (S4O-03053)
That information is available on the SQA website. In 2013, 66,204 appeals were submitted to the SQA, of which 31,930 were successful.
That confirms my understanding that, every year since 2007, there have been roughly 60,000 appeals and that, of those, four in 10 have been successful. Given that information, and given that the SQA has confirmed to me that the Scottish Government is working on the assumption that, next year, the number of appeals is expected to be limited to under 30,000, and that, furthermore, the process will involve not an appeal but a marking review or a clerical check, does the minister think that the situation is fair to pupils who do not do themselves justice on the day?
As Ken Macintosh is aware, the changes that have been made to the appeals system are the result of a wide consultation that has included the teaching profession. The consultation has been partly to bring the process back to its original aims, which are to ensure that people who experience exceptional circumstances and cannot perform in the exam on the day are not penalised, and to ensure that exams are correctly marked.
I reject the accusation that a limitation is being placed on the option to appeal. In fact, there will be a much wider ability to request an exam check than has been the case in the past, and it will be possible to take into account different forms of evidence.
I thank the minister for the letter that he sent me earlier in the week answering a question that I had asked previously. It is now clear that local authorities are responsible for the fees that have to be paid for an unsuccessful request to review marking. Is he confident that all schools now know what their local authority policy is?
It is certainly incumbent on all local authorities to make that information available to their schools. Some local authorities are dealing with the matter centrally and others are devolving the decision to schools, but all local authorities should make it clear to schools and, indeed, to candidates.
Universities (Research Council Funding)
To ask the Scottish Government what share of the United Kingdom research councils’ funding Scottish universities currently receive. (S4O-03054)
According to data provided by Research Councils UK, Scotland’s universities and research institutes secured £307 million from the research councils in 2012-13, which represented 10.7 per cent of the total research council spend of £2.9 billion.
Based on a population share, Scotland would certainly get less. Given that Professor Paul Boyle told the Education and Culture Committee yesterday that no single research council spans more than one country, there is no doubt that support for research is one of the many benefits of continuing the partnership with the rest of the UK.
What discussions have the minister or his ministerial colleagues had with universities in Glasgow about their research priorities? The independence white paper talks about funding “Scottish priorities”. What does the Scottish National Party consider those to be, and what reassurances will the minister offer academics—in particular, those in advanced science collaborations—that their work would continue to be a Scottish priority?
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has, on a number of occasions, met academics from throughout the country. However, I say with respect that I feel that Drew Smith is missing a fundamental point, which is that the research funding that Scotland’s universities receive from research councils is allocated not according to population share or out of charity, but based on academic excellence. That is why we do well.
The Scottish Government is committed not only to maintaining a single research area but to maintaining Scotland’s financial contribution to it. I have no doubt that, under independence, Scotland will continue to have the excellent research institutes that it currently has, which will benefit accordingly.
As the Scottish Government in an independent Scotland would have powers over immigration policy, does the minister agree that we could attract leading research talent from throughout the world to study and settle in Scotland, which would greatly enhance the prospects of further inward investment and research funding for Scottish universities?
Yes. Gordon MacDonald has made an important point. The big threat—if we want to use that language—to research degrees and activity in Scotland’s universities is posed not by constitutional change, but by the attitude that the United Kingdom Government takes to immigration. That is not only my view, but that of Professor Pete Downes, the convener of Universities Scotland, who described the UK’s immigration policy as it applies to universities in these terms:
“As I scan the policy horizon, it’s hard to see a bigger risk, or a more poisonous gun pointed at our collective success.”
Sectarianism (Education)
To ask the Scottish Government how schools are teaching about sectarianism. (S4O-03055)
Education Scotland, the national body for supporting quality improvement in Scottish education, promotes diversity and equality in its work and has a specific workstream on combating sectarianism. The work focuses on identifying and sharing good practice, reviewing and improving resources, and engaging in professional dialogue across education in Scotland. All approved resources are available directly from the Education Scotland website.
Does the minister agree with me that sectarianism is a very long-running problem in this country and that it will not be solved overnight, but that we need to change attitudes and that can start with children? Many children are open to dealing with the problem and they want to see it sorted.
The member is, of course, right. I am sure that there will be wide agreement across the chamber that there is no single solution to the issue, but we have to ensure that we continue to work on tackling sectarianism in Scotland.
Roseanna Cunningham, the Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, has been taking the lead on the issue and, as she made clear recently, we are building a long-term agenda. I hope that that agenda can deliver a fundamental shift in our culture and our assumptions on the issue and ensure that we build a Scotland in which everybody feels that they have a part to play and that they are given the respect that they are due.
Independent Scotland (Employment among Young Women)
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of young women entering the workplace in an independent Scotland. (S4O-03056)
In an independent Scotland, we will make it a constitutional right for every young person to be offered the opportunity of education, work and training. That, alongside the introduction of a system of early intervention to identify and address barriers to work, will increase the employment levels of all young women and young men in Scotland. By targeting tailored support where it is most needed, we can achieve greater employment outcomes and support sustained economic growth.
After the recent publication of Scottish Labour’s devolution commission report and the very limited further powers that it seems to be suggesting, does the minister agree with me that there may indeed be no alternative to the powers of independence to increase employment opportunities for our sons and daughters?
It is important that this Parliament evolves into a Parliament with job-creating powers, where we have access to economic levers as well as skills and education policy.
What surprised me about the recent report from Labour’s devolution commission was that it did not propose the integration of employment services and skills services. To be honest, I thought that that was a given and that it was accepted as good, pragmatic common sense. I am surprised that Labour only wants to devolve the work programme, which is not really a power but a contract—and a failing contract at that.
I was also surprised that there was no devolution of the work choice programme, which is a policy that I have heard Dennis Robertson describe as the greatest secret within the Department for Work and Pensions. [Interruption.]
Order, please.
At the end of the day, my understanding from the most recent social attitudes survey is that 63 per cent of the Scottish population want control over welfare powers.
I thought for a second there that we might have had a question about how to get young women into work instead of an attack on the Labour Party.
Although there was a lot of welcome news in last week’s unemployment statistics, the minister will be aware that there was an increase in long-term female unemployment. I would welcome the minister’s thoughts on that and on the number of women returning to work who are over 50—there was very little shift in the number of younger women going into work. What will the minister do now, with the powers that she has, to address that issue?
I am always happy to answer the supplementary questions that I am asked.
There are two very important aspects to the very serious point that Kezia Dugdale raises. The first point is about early intervention. She will be no stranger to my view that when it comes to young women—and to young men—we need to intervene early. That is why I was pleased that this Parliament supported the principle of the European youth guarantee.
Although I cannot implement the guarantee in full because I do not have access to Jobcentre Plus, I will do everything within the powers of the Scottish Government to implement the European youth guarantee as much as possible because it is a pervasive philosophy of the Government, which I think is shared across the chamber, that particularly when it comes to young people—young women as well as young men—we need to intervene early. We have to intervene early to prevent youth unemployment from becoming long-term unemployment.
With regard to the other aspects of Kezia Dugdale’s question, the make young people your business campaign is important and—as a practical example—I am sure that she is aware of the campaign’s recent week of activity on digital and ICT as well as its on-going endeavours in that regard.
Gender is at the heart of that structured and focused skills intervention. We have a growing industry that has said that it needs 10,000 to 11,000 entrants every year, and yet the proportion of women in that field has fallen in the past decade from 30 to 17 per cent. I hope that we can unite in acknowledging that issue.
Teaching (Use of Technology)
To ask the Scottish Government what it does to promote the use of technology to assist teaching in schools. (S4O-03057)
The Scottish Government wants all educators, learners and parents to take full advantage of the opportunities that technology offers in order to raise attainment and ambition and to promote opportunities for all. To support that aim, a significant programme of work that focuses specifically on information and communications technology in learning is being undertaken.
The programme includes three main strands. The operating conditions strand will help to ensure that schools have in place the necessary infrastructure and policies to support our ambitions for ICT in learning; glow will continue to provide all educators and learners with free and secure access to a range of tools, services and collaborative online workspaces; and the enriching teaching, enhancing learning strategy will focus on curricular content, learning and teaching strategies and support for teachers in embedding the use of ICT in their practice.
I thank the minister for that comprehensive response. Education Scotland’s website commends videoconferencing and the collaborative work that can take place through it, and the minister will be aware of its benefits for Gaelic-medium education.
In the region that I represent, there are challenges connected with small secondary schools: specifically, the number of years’ tuition that can be given in a subject and the range of subjects that are available. Those issues are a particular concern at present for Tiree high school.
What steps will the Scottish Government take to encourage collaboration within and across local authorities to maintain the number of subjects available and years of teaching, and to maintain communities that are threatened if we do not have viable secondary schools?
John Finnie makes a series of important points about secondary education in rural areas. I am familiar with the example that he gave, as it has been brought to the attention of my colleague Mike Russell, who is the constituency MSP.
More generally, there can be difficulties with ensuring that teachers and subject options are in place in some of our smaller secondary schools. As John Finnie indicated, we must encourage local authorities in the use of ICT and above all ensure that, as far as humanly possible, the same offer is available to people throughout Scotland as part of the choice that exists in our education system.
Disabled People (Access to Further Education)
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to increase opportunities for disabled students to access further education. (S4O-03058)
The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council makes funding available to colleges to ensure they have the resources that they need to meet the additional support needs of disabled students. Additionally, I have asked the funding council to work with Enable Scotland, the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability and other partners to improve the outcomes for that group. There are in place a range of measures, which include the creation of support posts in a number of colleges and a good practice guide.
In its outcome agreement guidance for the next year, the funding council has made it clear that improving access for people from a wide range of backgrounds, including learners with disabilities, is a national priority. In meeting that priority, colleges will be expected to pay close attention to flexible learning and teaching, individual support and carefully managed transitions.
In light of the significant contribution that is made by young carers throughout Scotland—as has been highlighted by a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament—what level of financial assistance has the Scottish Government made available to assist physically disabled young people and young carers to progress from further education courses to undergraduate-level qualifications?
There are two sources of funding that come to mind in response to Ms McTaggart’s question. There is the additional support needs for learning allowance, which is non-income based and flexible, so it can be used for a wide variety of costs such as accommodation, travel or study-related costs. She may also be aware of the recent announcement that students who are articulating from college to university will be subject to the council tax exemption.
If Ms McTaggart would like any further or more specific information, I am happy to ensure that that is followed up in writing.
Does the minister agree that what disabled people need is the money to live on and that continuous welfare cuts from successive UK Governments are holding disabled people back?
I and the Scottish Government feel that we could deliver a more rounded experience and more opportunities for students, learners and people going into work if we could align education, tax and welfare services. Of course, members will be aware that further welfare cuts are pending, and that must be a concern.
University and College Union (Proposed Strike Action)
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding proposed strike action by the University and College Union. (S4O-03059)
I am not aware of any direct representations received on that matter.
The minister will be aware that staff in the higher education sector have seen their pay drop in real terms by more than 13 per cent on average during the past five years, while principals and vice-chancellors have this year received an increase of 5 per cent. Collective pay bargaining arrangements are United Kingdom-wide, but is the minister aware of what steps are being taken to encourage positive dialogue in the UK pay bargaining rounds that begin today so that a swift and satisfactory end can be brought to the dispute?
As Mr Eadie will be well aware, higher education institutions are autonomous, although I am aware of the circumstances that he describes in his question. The Government’s view is that, although higher education institutions are entirely responsible for setting terms and conditions for their staff, we expect employers to enter into negotiations with unions and staff in a positive way that is informed by fairness and takes account of the current economic climate. I remind members of Michael Russell’s response to a topical parliamentary question in January, when he said:
“I expect senior university management and governing bodies to demonstrate clear leadership and accountability by ensuring that pay awards to principals are not out of step with those that are available to staff and to ensure the highest standards of transparency as recommended by the von Prondzynski review of higher education governance”.—[Official Report, 21 January 2014; c 26757.]
Independent Scotland (Childcare Policy)
To ask the Scottish Government when its policy on childcare in an independent Scotland will be completed. (S4O-03060)
The Government’s policy will be complete only when we have ensured that provision of childcare matches the very best. We will rest only when the barriers that prevent too many people, particularly women, from entering the labour market are broken down, freeing women to make the best choices for their own families. That is why the Government’s long-term aim is to ensure that all children from one to school age will be entitled to 1,140 hours of high-quality childcare per year, which is broadly the same as the number of hours that are provided at primary school. As set out in “Scotland’s Future”, we will deliver that provision by the end of the second parliamentary session after independence, benefiting around 240,000 children and 212,000 families each year.
As the minister will no doubt be aware, the National Day Nurseries Association warned this week that the current system could not deliver the expansion that is proposed by the Scottish Government. What additional money will be required to meet the cost of that expansion? If those who are in the current system cannot meet it, who will?
It is, of course, up to local authorities to determine fair and sustainable settlements locally with partner providers. I point out that, although Purnima Tanuku raised some concerns yesterday, she also said:
“We support the Scottish government’s plan, and independent providers would be at the heart of the expansion”.
“Scotland’s Future” sets out that we plan to review our cost structure, based on international examples, and the NDNA will be part of that dialogue. I should also point out that the Government has funded NDNA for the first time, to ensure that it can play a full part in the development of our childcare policy. However, I make the point again that it is only with independence and when we have the full powers at our disposal that we will be able to truly transform childcare. In the words of Jackie Brock, the white paper is a “game-changer” in this debate.
Does the minister agree with the leading economist Professor Sir Donald MacKay, who said that we need both sides of the balance sheet to implement the transformational childcare proposals that are outlined in “Scotland’s Future”?
Yes. Professor MacKay was an economic adviser to successive secretaries of state, including Malcolm Rifkind and Donald Dewar, as well as chair of Scottish Enterprise, so members would do well to heed his advice. He is quite right to point out that the substantial boost to revenues that is generated by more women entering the labour market currently goes to Westminster and that money is therefore not available to help fund more childcare. With independence, that money—Scotland’s money—can be invested in our future and can help to pay for the transformation of childcare that we all want to see.
The Scottish Government has told us that the first stage of its childcare policies would cost £100 million and the second stage £700 million, but it has not told us how much the third stage would cost and what the total cost of its childcare policies would be. The white paper was published on 26 November; it is now 26 March.
Can you ask a question, please, Mr Bibby.
Four months on, can the minister tell us the total cost of the white paper’s childcare policy?
We have set out clearly that our ultimate aspiration is to transform childcare and that that very much rests on having the full powers at our disposal, which includes having access to the revenues that we generate by allowing more parents to get back into work.
What is the total?
Order.
If we allow Scotland’s women to participate at Swedish levels, that will allow us to generate up to £700 million to reinvest back into childcare.
How much do you need?
Order.
Labour completely misses the point about the impact that childcare will have, because it only ever considers the additional income tax paid by an individual, not the full basket of taxes that would be collected under independence.
How much?
Order, Mr Bibby.
Persistent heckling does the Labour Party no favours. Labour clearly has no ideas and no notion of how it wants to deliver. It came to the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill with incoherent, unfunded proposals to try to increase the hours of childcare. We should work together to ensure that childcare policy benefits children and young people and helps families across the country.
Question 12 has been withdrawn for understandable reasons.
Regional College Board Chairs (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the appointed chairs of the regional college boards and what matters were discussed. (S4O-03062)
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell, has not met the chairs since their appointment, but he intends to do so shortly.
Brae high school pupils asked me how the new national qualifications and curriculum for excellence will lead to vocational education and a place at college. When the cabinet secretary finds time to meet the college board chairs, will he undertake to explain to pupils across Scotland how the new structure, particularly on national qualifications, will help them to find a college place?
I am sure that the cabinet secretary does that on a day-to-day basis.
Mothers (Part-time Education)
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports mothers to return to education part-time. (S4O-03063)
College students are being supported with record levels of financial support—more than £102 million this academic year in bursaries, childcare funds and discretionary funds. Mothers, in particular, are supported by the discretionary childcare fund and the lone parent childcare grant—an entitlement payment of up to £1,215 per year. Those who wish to return part-time to university can apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland for help towards the cost of tuition fees and to the discretionary fund for help with childcare costs. In addition, we have invested £6.6 million in 2013-14 and will do so again in 2014-15 for additional part-time opportunities at college, including for mothers who want to return to education.
If a woman’s highest qualification is a standard grade, she has a 50 per cent chance of being employed; if it is a higher national certificate or higher national diploma, she has a 74 per cent chance and if it is a degree an 84 per cent chance of being employed. If the Scottish National Party Government wants more mums in work, it will have to give them the skills and the education to compete. In light of that, why has the SNP Government cut 93,000 places for women to study part-time in our colleges since 2007?
It is not surprising that Ms Dugdale deliberately blisters the issue. She is trying to confuse headcount with full-time equivalents. That is the old apples and oranges comparison. We should not use measurement to conflate a course that is unrecognised and lasts a few hours with an HNC or HND course. That is why we have the full-time equivalent measurement.
I agree with the member that it is important that we have a balance and a range of opportunities for people with a range of abilities. People come to education with different levels of qualification. However, it has to be good for young people and women of all ages that we are increasing opportunities for more people to study full time and to study for recognised qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs. We now have 4,000 more people studying for HNCs and HNDs in Scotland. I speak not just as the Minister for Youth Employment because, as the member will know, I also have responsibility for women’s employment issues. We have to get the right balance. Female unemployment today is 6.5 per cent, but youth unemployment remains at 19.1 per cent. We need a range of qualifications and opportunities. Actually, in some colleges in Scotland, the majority of students are women and are over 25, so I believe that the system creates that flexibility.
Youth Employment (Local Authority Strategies)
To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities have a youth employment strategy similar to the Edinburgh guarantee. (S4O-03064)
The Edinburgh guarantee is an excellent example of how local authorities are tackling youth unemployment. All local authorities across Scotland have a similar strategy or have specific measures in place to tackle youth unemployment and provide positive destinations for young people.
The city council and its business partners introduced the Edinburgh guarantee in 2011 to provide positive outcomes for the capital’s young people. It has resulted in 150 organisations matching 650 school leavers and young people with employment, modern apprenticeship, college or training opportunities and the council has achieved the figure of 91 per cent of school leavers entering a positive destination.
Will the minister join me in welcoming the council’s decision to continue to support the Edinburgh guarantee and its 2014-15 budget?
Yes. I am on record as supporting the Edinburgh guarantee. A number of members across the chamber have an interest in it and have expressed support for it. The significant thing about the Edinburgh guarantee is that it shows a can-do approach by the local authority. As Gordon MacDonald said, there has been significant improvement in the figures for school leaver destinations. Edinburgh has turned itself around from being below the national average to being on a par with it.
By sheer coincidence, I was in Gordon MacDonald’s constituency this morning, visiting a local employer that participates in the Edinburgh guarantee.
Independent Scotland (Childcare)
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis it considers that its childcare plans for an independent Scotland would create a 6 per cent rise in female employment. (S4O-03065)
Improving access to affordable childcare reduces an important barrier to labour market participation faced by some parents with small children, as highlighted by both the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The European Commission found that 73 per cent of mothers in the United Kingdom who did not work or worked part time because of inadequate childcare services cited childcare as being too expensive.
The childcare and labour market participation economic analysis paper that we published in January set out the potential impacts on economic output and tax revenues if Scotland’s female participation rate increased by 6 percentage points, which would match Sweden.
The detailed modelling of the impact of that policy, which is still to be completed, could show that the rise in female employment would be less than the illustrative figure of 6 per cent that the minister has given. If the rise in employment is lower than 6 per cent, will the policy be redrafted?
We have tasked the Council of Economic Advisers with publishing its report in springtime. Perhaps Mark Griffin should listen to the words of the Association of Scottish Businesswomen’s Alison Henderson, who was interviewed by the BBC this morning. She said:
“At the moment women running their own businesses contribute £5 billion to the Scottish economy, but if there were an equal number of businesses run by women and men, then that women’s contribution would be £13 billion. So the effect of childcare provision on helping women get into their own businesses and actually focused there, it could be enormous.”
An awful lot of debate is going on around this, but certainly our purpose in trying to transform childcare is partly to get women back into work and also to make sure that we have high-quality childcare provision.
We can only realise the potential of getting more women back into work if we have independence. We can reinvest the money and taxes that we raise and generate through increased participation in the workforce only with the powers of independence. We want to transform childcare to allow children and young people to flourish.
That concludes portfolio question time. Before we move on to the next item of business, I remind members who have questions that they should be here for the start of question time and that they should remain until the end of question time unless they have a reason for not doing so that they have notified to the Presiding Officer. I noticed that some members were not complying with that this afternoon.
I will allow a few moments for members to change seats before the beginning of the next item of business.
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