Cross-Party Group on Outdoor Education 14 March 2024 – 13:00-14:00 Minute Present MSPs Liz Smith MSP Brian Whittle MSP Invited guests Avril Nicol – Aberdeenshire Council Susi Mclarty – Aberdeenshire Council Iona McCroary – St Modan’s High School Non-MSP Group Members Paul Bayton – SU Scotland Rachel Luxton – SU Scotland Phil Thompson – Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre Mike Harvey – Office of Liz Smith MSP Neil Wightwick – Blairvadach Lee Musson – Rock UK Rory Edwards – Scouts Scotland Neil Baird – Scouts Scotland Frazer Horswell – Scouts Scotland Peter Moir – Duke of Edinburgh Award Nick March – AHOEC Freda Fallon – Outward Bound Rob Bushby – Wilderness Scotland Jamie Miller – Scottish Outdoor Education Centres Prof Peter Higgins – University of Edinburgh Apologies Daniel Johnson MSP Rachel Hamilton MSP Beatrice Wishart MSP Stuart Younie MSP Mark Ruskell MSP Toby Clark – John Muir David Exeter – Outward Bound 1 Peter Wilson – Ardentinney Andrew Bradshaw - SAPOE Agenda item 1 Welcome and update by Liz Smith MSP Liz Smith MSP welcomed attendees and provided a brief update on the Outdoor Residentials (Scotland) Bill, intimating that although there was a lot of work going on behind the scenes formal progress was slow due to Parliament staffing.