Chamber and committees

I thank the witnesses for coming along this morning.

These are extremely challenging times—and not just for cricket. Gordon Arthur has a lot on his plate, too. I also noted Forbes Dunlop’s comments about having the right level of support and expertise, and I do not know whether any additional support could be brought in to help with that.

With regard to developing communication strategies, are there specific examples of good practice from other sports that could be adapted and applied to cricket? That question is for Forbes Dunlop.

On leadership and chief officers, Vicky gave a good description of how difficult the role is when it is subordinate to chief executives of other bodies. We had a ministerial strategic group on how to improve collaborative working. How are the chief officers of IJBs currently supported and how do we help them? What changes do we need to make so that they have the power to lead effectively?

So—

Are you looking to create opportunities or positions for such people who can really influence the ethos of and culture in sport?

Thank you. That was helpful. Is that at the centre of the high turnover in leadership of IJBs? Should we be doing anything in addition to what you have said to try to prevent that?

Throughout the pandemic, our NHS and social care staff have shown extraordinary commitment and have worked under immense pressure to support people. Now, those same staff face increased living costs and energy prices. What steps are being taken to support employees in the NHS and social care during the winter months?

Has the Scottish Government assessed how many households are excluded from receiving external wall insulation through the warmer homes Scotland scheme due to living in non-traditional, steel-framed houses? What financial support might be available to those who do not qualify for that essential work but would like to improve the insulation of their homes to save energy?

It is an honour to participate in such an important debate.

Let me be clear from the very start: the main threat to Scottish education is the persistent and callous poverty policies of the current UK Government. This morning, I watched on television people despair about their mortgages, heating their homes and feeding their kids. That has everything to do with education because, as long as our children and young people live with the stress and despair that poverty brings, we cannot expect them to arrive at school feeling ready to learn.

The Tories are speaking to an amendment that contains not a single positive word about excellence or achievements. There is nothing at all that celebrates our pupils, students, teachers or further education. It is telling that having a pop at the Scottish Government is the amendment’s only content.

What is excellence in education? Although excellence can mean different things to different people, it is, in essence, about providing young people with the knowledge, skills and attributes that they need for learning, life and work in the 21st century. It is also about happiness, wellbeing, health and confidence.

Scotland has a proud educational history that dates back centuries and in which innovation and embracing the future have defined our institutions. That has produced among the world’s most educated populations. Excellence should be for everyone, and we must always strive for it.

Education is about much more than academic achievement; it is about providing supportive environments that encourage individuals to learn, grow and thrive in a way that is meaningful to them, and about recognising their wide-ranging achievements. Excellence is driven from the ground up. It puts individuals at the centre of policy, and it builds in strengths to create lifelong learners. It equips our young people to craft their own paths to success and to lead fulfilling lives.

Recent times have brought unprecedented change and challenges, reinforcing the need to put people’s wellbeing and mental health at the centre of all that we do, including education. There is much work still to be done around that and other reforms, as other members have already highlighted. However, although every child is capable of excellence, some face much bigger barriers and challenges than others do, especially those who live in poverty. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap remains critical, and the pandemic challenged earlier progress.

Bob Doris mentioned the Education, Children and Young People Committee’s meeting with a large group of teachers at St Roch’s in Glasgow to discuss the Scottish attainment challenge funding. The teachers highlighted many challenges, but they also told us how they were reaching into families and understanding poverty like never before. Those teachers spoke about creativity and in-depth work to support families and help children to achieve. That really was inspiring. The Scottish Government’s continued investment in attainment—£1 billion over this parliamentary session—will continue that work.

We know that the poverty-related attainment gap starts early. That is why the Scottish Government continues to invest so heavily in extending free nursery care, with 1,140 hours for every three and four-year-old and for vulnerable two-year-olds. As well as early learning, free school meals and uniform grants, many wider policies tackle poverty, including the game-changing Scottish child payment, free bus travel, social security, renewable energy and many more. All of those will impact on our young people’s future, but the current cost of living crisis is a growing threat, as has been noted.

Staying at the forefront of change means listening. Scotland’s curriculum for excellence was ahead of the curve in 2010, and many other countries have followed that lead. However, we must continually strive to improve and make the changes that are needed.

At the invitation of the Scottish Government, the OECD reviewed the curriculum for excellence, and we listened, accepting all 12 of its recommendations. The significant changes that are under way as a result bring significant challenges, but they also bring opportunities. Making our education system fit for the future also means listening to our learners and to everyone with an interest in education. As the cabinet secretary noted, that is why the current national discussion on education invites children, young people, families and teachers to help us in getting it right for every child.

Sadly—I say this as a parent—our children grow up and move on from school. This year, we have seen exceptionally high positive outcomes for school leavers, with 92.4 per cent moving on to positive outcomes. That is a testament to the dedication of Scotland’s teachers. I am also grateful to our teaching professionals for their hard work in difficult times. Their commitment to our students, to businesses and to progress is very clear.

The success of the New College Lanarkshire smart hub—a collaboration between North Lanarkshire Council, the University of Strathclyde and other partners—is a really good example. Not only are businesses benefiting and being encouraged to invest in technology, but the college is sparking school pupils’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, thanks to accessing the Scottish Government’s advancing manufacturing challenge fund.

Finally, I must mention that it was a privilege to work with David MacMillan, a Nobel prize winner in chemistry. This Nobel laureate credits much of his success to Scottish education, and I had the pleasure of reconnecting him with his old school, Bellshill academy. David’s love of science took him to America, but he often returns to his family and his roots in Bellshill, and I really cannot wait for his next school visit, to watch him inspire even more pupils into scientific careers. David MacMillan—an ordinary wee Lanarkshire laddie—is living proof that the sky is the limit for our young people. That is real excellence, and may he inspire many young Scots.

I would say that our statistics on international students are pretty good at the moment. Ellie Gomersall mentioned earlier—I think that it was in her opening statement—the increase in overall student numbers. At point 22 in its written submission, the SFC accepts that the increase in teaching budgets

“is largely as a result of increases in funded places rather than increases in the average price we pay per funded student.”

However, it also suggests that protecting the price per place would impact the number of funded places. What changes, if any, would you recommend within the current fiscal constraints for the SFC to get the balance right between the price per place and the number of funded places?

I appreciate what you are saying about the cost of living crisis, which has been such a huge issue, too. However, that does not answer the question about what we do to get the balance right between the price per place and the number of funded students we have in the current fiscal constraints.