Portfolio Questions: Questions on Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic and then Finance and Local Government were answered by the Deputy First Minister, a Cabinet Secretary and Ministers. 3. Funding for Teachers and Schools in Scotland: Miles Briggs moved S6M- 15060—That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government withholding £145 million in funding from local authorities will risk teacher numbers across Scotland declining further; notes that teacher numbers in Scotland have already been declining for two years in a row; acknowledges that many teachers are already struggling to obtain permanent employment; recognises the efforts of the Scottish Teachers for Permanence Campaign, which represents 3,800 teachers searching for permanent work in Scotland; expresses alarm about potential cuts to classroom assistant numbers and the school week due to shortfalls in local authority funding from the Scottish Government, and believes that Scottish Government funding should be used to improve Scotland's schools.