Chamber and committees

I am sure that all MSPs’ mailbags, including those of the minister, show that there is real fear out there among the people who are working in our universities. There was a rally not that long ago, and many committee members spoke at it. Have ministers outlined to universities their opinion about compulsory redundancies being progressed as a cost-saving measure in the university sector?

Thank you for that. Moving on to widening access, I have a question for the minister for keeping the Promise. I thought that the debate that we had in the chamber was quite useful in pointing out the work that the university sector had done to encourage and support more care-experienced young people to get into university. However, what was not clear was the course completion levels. The committee has raised this matter before, but I am wondering where the Government is in relation to tracking young people from a care-experienced background as they move through university and what it might change in that respect.

If it has, I have not seen it.

One of my greatest concerns has involved the victims and families who have been emailing us throughout the situation. I read Taylor’s mum’s letter last night and again this morning, saying that they feel that

“there has been a cover-up and closing of ranks.”

The UK Government has dragged its feet on an inquiry, although it has now announced one. It feels like the Scottish Government has been in the same space of not stepping up and holding a public inquiry. What do you, personally, think that your handling of the situation has done to provide victims with reassurance and confidence that the Government is going to get to the bottom of the matter?

Given the concerns that have been raised over the destruction and loss of vital evidence, the longer the situation goes on and the longer the Government does not put in place a grooming inquiry, things can only get worse, and evidence can only be getting destroyed. We have heard telling evidence this morning from Professor Jay over the burning of evidence—literally—taking place.

Has that gone to all public bodies ahead of any decision over an inquiry?

Yes.

Good morning, Professor Jay—thank you for joining us. Has the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs at any point offered you an apology for how your position was misrepresented in the Parliament?

So was this a one-off?

Will the cabinet secretary agree to report back to the Parliament on any destruction and loss of evidence and records when she is made aware that such an incident has happened?

Russell Findlay asked whether survivors would be included in the Government’s existing strategic group or in the new task and finish group, which I do not think that she answered.

In the time that I have served on the Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee, there has been a recurring theme that teachers, parents and carers, trade unions, educationalists and, indeed, most MSPs who serve on the committee will recognise, which is that, after the pandemic, our young people continue to face major challenges.

In many cases, the decisions that were taken during the lockdown had and continue to have negative impacts on our young people and the wider school environment, and the bill presents a positive opportunity to try to reset how we value young people across Scotland and to deliver a better offering for them, and for Parliament to send a message that we want to see real investment in the development of our young people now and in the future.

As has been said, no one doubts that outdoor education is one of the most rewarding experiences that a young person can have during their school career. I pay tribute to those who have joined us in the public gallery today for the dedication that they bring—they have dedicated their careers, in fact—to outdoor education and to our young people.

In many cases, as I have seen for myself, outdoor education is truly game changing. It delivers benefits in school and learning long after pupils and teachers have returned to the classroom, and through the joy that young people experience from it. Residential trips help to build confidence, self-reliance, resilience and leadership skills, and they teach the values of friendship, teamwork and a lifelong connection to our great outdoors, which is fantastic.

In an age when there is growing concern about young people’s physical and mental wellbeing, the benefits of residential outdoor education cannot be overstated or underestimated. It is worth reflecting that Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to formalise outdoor education. The last significant piece of legislation around outdoor education was the Education Act 1944, known as the Butler act. In the 1960s and 1970s, outdoor education, often formalised as physical outdoor activities and based on residential experiences, was extensively developed in many parts of Scotland.

In more recent times, however, the value of outdoor education has, sadly, not been given the weight that it deserves. We have not focused on the outcomes that we need it to achieve for our young people, and many of our authorities are disinvesting in their outdoor education offerings and facilities. We know that, today, many children are disconnected from their learning environment and from our wonderful natural environment. I believe that Liz Smith’s Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill will allow for a reset to enable us, once again, to recognise nationally the importance of residential outdoor education.

As I stated in the stage 1 debate, as an Edinburgh MSP, I know how incredibly lucky young people, and their parents and carers, are to be able to still access the residential outdoor education offering that they really enjoy and value. When I speak to young people in the capital, many of them see it as a rite of passage, as City of Edinburgh Council has always valued outdoor education.

Finally, I put on record a tribute to my friend and colleague, Liz Smith, for the power of work that she and her parliamentary office and team, along with the Parliament’s non-Government bills unit, have put into the bill, and for her lifelong advocacy—as a teacher and as a member of this Parliament—of the benefits of outdoor education for our young people. As we have heard today, Liz Smith is widely respected by members across the chamber and beyond.

However, the bill itself is about what is best for our young people in the post-Covid era, when so many indicators tell us that young people are facing more challenges than ever before. I sincerely hope that, in future years, all young people in Scotland will be able to take part in the life-changing experiences that residential outdoor education delivers. As Martin Whitfield said, that will be a remarkable legacy for Liz Smith, and she should rightly be incredibly proud of the work that she has done on the bill. However, it will also be for us as a country, and for Parliament, to send out the message to our young people, to parents and carers and to teachers across Scotland that we value them and want to invest in them. I support the motion in Liz Smith’s name.