Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Teachers’ Side of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has reportedly not received a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to its proposal regarding teacher class contact time, which was tabled at the committee on 18 September 2025.
The Scottish Government is represented at all meetings of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) by nominated government officials. Scottish Ministers do not sit on SNCT committees or sub groups and do not respond directly to tabled papers for these meetings.
I am pleased that earlier this year the SNCT subgroup on Reducing Class Contact Time agreed with the Scottish Government proposal to develop a workplan to deliver a route map towards reducing class contact time, at pace.
We will continue working with teacher union and local government colleagues through the SNCT to reach agreement on next steps towards the reduction.