Chamber and committees

As a panel, do you all agree that the automatic right to a solicitor is crucial for that level of intervention?

Witnesses indicated agreement.

Yes. Does anyone else have anything to add?

It is a pleasure to speak to the Government’s motion today and to recognise the success of the education system in Scotland—not for self-congratulation but in gratitude to teachers and staff, and to pupils, their parents and their families.

It is a fact that a record number of our young people are now in work, training or further study after leaving school. In 2021-22, 95.7 per cent of school leavers were progressing their studies or careers within three months. We must now build on and strengthen that demonstrable success.

In preparing for today’s debate, I had a wee look back at previous times that we have debated vocational and technical qualifications. In 2018, which was the year of young people, I welcomed the fact that the headline target of the strategy to reduce youth unemployment by 40 per cent by 2021 had been met four years early.

At that point I noted that, although the broad target had been met, a bit of work was still to be done on addressing gender imbalance and on improving opportunities and outcomes among particular groups, such as those who are disabled, care experienced or from minority ethnic backgrounds. I will focus my remarks on that today.

Last week, I was pleased to hear confirmation from the First Minister in her answer to my Education, Children and Young People Committee colleague Graeme Dey that improvements have been made in attracting disabled young people to apprenticeships, with figures showing that significant progress has been made.

Skills Development Scotland provides enhanced funding contributions for disabled apprentices in training until the age of 29. The most recent statistics, which SDS published on 14 February, report that the disability rate for modern apprenticeship starts by the end of quarter 3 was 14.8 per cent—two percentage points higher than in quarter 3 of the previous year. Just under 3,000 individuals had known disability status or a self-identified impairment, health condition or learning difficulty, which was a 23.5 per cent increase compared to the same point last year. That is good, particularly for the individuals who are taking in apprenticeships, but a lot more work is still to be done.

I hope that, with continued strong partnership working between employers, schools and universities, supported by the developing the young workforce groups, that will continue. I have highlighted the following example before, but I make no apology for doing so again, as it illustrates well that joint working. I think that Stephen Kerr will appreciate the example. Martin & Son Builders is a small family business based in Kilwinning.

“The owner of the business, Martin, is profoundly deaf after losing his hearing five years ago, and one of the reasons why he was keen to be involved with DYW Ayrshire was to demonstrate to pupils that that has not stopped him from running a successful business.

Martin visited St Winning’s primary school for five consecutive days to give each of the five classes an insight into the building trade. Pupils participated in a series of interactive tasks, including using laser levels, sizing, measuring angles and calculating thermal heat loss. The young people were also introduced to bricklaying and watched a live demonstration of a small wall being erected. As well as introducing pupils to this career area and allowing them the opportunity to engage in interesting, hands-on activities, Martin sent a powerful message to those pupils at a young age about overcoming challenges and achieving success.”—[Official Report, 11 January 2018; c 76.]

The Education, Children and Young People Committee has been looking at the experience of disabled children and young people, particularly their transitions, as part of our scrutiny of Pam Duncan-Glancy’s member’s bill. On a recent visit to Ayrshire College, I heard about the successful project search courses that the college runs in collaboration with its partners at University hospital Crosshouse and the National Trust for Scotland at Culzean castle. The courses provide supported learning students with 800 hours of immersion in the facilities of each host business to prepare them to be work ready. The college told me that many students have progressed from the intensive work focus of project search to achieve paid employment. For example, at University hospital Crosshouse, several learners have completed the course and then been successfully employed on site for 16-plus hours per week as domestics, porters and admin assistants.

Other learners have taken up apprenticeship schemes with local authorities in admin, information technology and outdoor activities, building on skills first identified during project search. Several learners have gained employment with other employers outwith the host organisations. Employment at retail outlets and supermarkets has helped many students gain their first paid work and build resilience to eventually increase their working hours. Ayrshire College currently employs a previous project search student as a cook in its canteen facilities and is delighted that the student has maintained that position for several years.

At a time when a record high number of young people are now in work, training or further study after leaving school, it is appropriate not only to celebrate that success but to be clear that it is time to build on it for all our young people. We need the talent of every single one of them, not just for them to flourish and have a good experience but for the success of our country.

Will the minister provide an update on the steps that are being taken to alleviate the demand on our acute hospitals and our emergency mental health services that is caused by alcohol use disorders?

Grace Handling was 13 when she died. The individual who supplied the ecstasy that killed her was charged with culpable homicide but was, much to her family’s distress, acquitted after the jury returned a not proven verdict. Will the cabinet secretary meet me and Grace’s father Stewart to hear directly from him and to provide support and guidance on ways forward?

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support families whose children have died as a result of illegal drugs. (S6O-02020)

There is a lot in that to probe, but I do not want to tread on other people’s questions.

I will just ask you another question, if that is okay, and Bill can come in after that.

We have legislation in place but, as we all acknowledge, it is clear that there is an implementation gap. What is it about additional legislation, in the form of this bill, that would address those issues? I think that we probably agree on the reasons for the gap. For example, we agreed just now on the need for resources and capacity. What is it about your legislation that would address that aspect?

Good morning. Thank you, Pam, for being with us. I appreciate your opening statement, particularly your recognition of the evidence that committee colleagues have taken. We are also very grateful to the young people, parents and practitioners who shared their expert experience with us.

I would like to ask you about the implementation gap, given that, as we know, there are policies in place. We have heard from parents, young people and practitioners that the reason for the gap is to do with capacity and resources. Parents talk to us about communication as well, and practitioners, in particular, have spoken about culture and leadership. In your view, why do we have that implementation gap? It is clear that what we currently have in place is failing too many of our disabled children and young people. What are the reasons, in your view, for the implementation gap that young people are experiencing?

Thank you for that.