John Swinney
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Since the report from several years ago was published, the Government has presided over the passage of legislation to rationalise that area of activity. Work is under way to transfer the responsibility for the funding of further education student support from the Scottish Funding Council to the Student Awards Agency Scotland.”
“I appreciate the urgency of the general policy elements of the question, because a number of applications are now being considered by planning authorities. My view is that, given the concerns that have been expressed by planning authorities, the Government has to be responsive to the issue.”
“For as long as we do not have a proper strategy on prison capacity, rehabilitation and clearing the court backlog, early release will be a revolving door, with people going in, coming out and going back into our prisons. Our justice system is in crisis, so we need a strategy.”
“I associate myself unreservedly Mr Cole-Hamilton’s comments about the feelings in the Muslim community. On Monday, I visited the Broomhouse mosque along with Simita Kumar and the Annandale Street mosque in Edinburgh with Ben Macpherson.”
“The development of further guidance will be undertaken in a manner consistent with the ruling by Lady Ross. Malcolm Offord: I thank the First Minister for his answer, which was more comprehensive than I expected.”
“I am a huge supporter of apprenticeship programmes. With foundation apprenticeships and graduate apprenticeships, the Government has brought forward important reforms that create new and successful pathways for young people. I am determined to make sure that every young person has that desirable pathway for their future.”
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“I acknowledge the importance of the point that Mr Sarwar raises. Although he is correct about the timescale for the establishment of the independent review into maternity services, the inspection of the Queen Elizabeth university hospital is part of the wider Healthcare Improvement Scotland review of maternity services in multiple locations around Scotland, which was commissioned by the former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and which is now being taken forward. In relation to the report on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s maternity services, I am concerned—as are ministers—about the issues that it raises. Although the report highlights a number of positive aspects of the delivery of care, it also highlights significant areas for improvement.”
“Indeed, one issue that we are wrestling with in relation to our prison population is due to the fact that substantial numbers of individuals are serving long prison sentences because they have perpetrated sexual crimes of that nature. In relation to the grooming gangs inquiry, the Government has established its leadership and work is under way to ensure that the terms of reference are finalised and that the inquiry can start its work at the first available opportunity. Maternity Services (Safe Delivery of Care) 2.”
“I will address that question in general. The statistics that are reported regularly, and the discussion that we had yesterday about the record of Dorothy Bain as the Lord Advocate, show that Scotland has a formidable record of taking seriously the complaints of women and girls about sexual abuse and sexual violence. I make it clear to the Parliament that that will remain the case throughout the term of this Government. It is vital that, when women and girls have experiences of sexual violence and sexual assault, they have the confidence to report them. It is clear from the conduct and the leadership of the former Lord Advocate—as it will be, I am certain, of the Lord Advocate designate, who will be sworn in at the Court of Session tomorrow—that the same approach is taken in relation to the prosecution of such crimes.”
“That is illustrated by the remarks made at the time by Humza Yousaf, a former First Minister and sitting MSP, who watched the video and immediately passed judgment that “That young person has had a significant amount of trauma in her life. I can guarantee that without knowing fully her circumstances.” That judgment was made without even meeting her, just by looking at her. In light of that sorry saga, I press the First Minister on the state of the grooming gangs inquiry in Scotland, which the Scottish National Party promised shortly before the election. When exactly will it begin and when will its terms of reference be released? The First Minister: The first point that Mr Offord makes is in relation to the reporting of sexual crimes and the actions taken to address sexual crimes against women and girls in our society.”
“There was a case in Stirling in which Police Scotland had to intervene directly to counter the type of rhetoric that Elon Musk was circulating in this case—on that occasion it was being circulated by Tommy Robinson. The lesson that we should draw is that we should all be very careful about what we say because if we are not, we will fall into the trap of the right-wing malevolent individuals who are determined to sow division in our society—and I want to have none of that in Scotland. Malcolm Offord: There is another lesson to be learned. That unfortunate case in Dundee brings into sharp focus the reality that white working-class girls across the UK have not been believed by the authorities when they have reported sexual abuse.”
“I will certainly make no apology for taking on Elon Musk, who I do not think is a good-faith actor on these questions. Mr Offord is absolutely right that the legal process in the case has concluded. The legal process indicates exactly what Mr Offord has indicated, so there is no reason for me to sustain the points that were put to me at the time in Police Scotland’s statements. I of course apologise to the young woman concerned and to her family, because we should all be dealing with the situation as the information presents it. I caution Mr Offord on the tack that he is taking. I have seen too many cases in which malevolent right-wing actors have piled in on particular issues to sow division in our society, only to be proved to be completely incorrect.”
“When Elon Musk asked what kind of Government arrests little girls who try to defend themselves, the First Minister piled in, too, and accused him of spreading misinformation. The mother of the child has quite rightly demanded an apology from the police and the First Minister for the branding of her daughter as a liar, right-wing and racist. Now that the case has concluded, will the First Minister take this opportunity to issue such an apology? The First Minister: The approach that I take on all those matters is to carefully follow the advice that is offered and the quality of information that is available to me. At the time of the incident, the information that was available to me, which was provided through Police Scotland, led me to the conclusion that I set out.”
“Moving from Glasgow to Dundee, the First Minister will be aware of the distressing incident last year involving a 12-year-old local girl who was arrested and widely vilified for wielding an axe and a knife to fend off a Bulgarian migrant and his sister. The legal process that that distressing incident triggered has now concluded and the sheriff has exonerated the 12-year-old girl. The Bulgarian migrant has been found guilty of assaulting the child and of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, including making sexual remarks to her and three other local girls. At the time, Police Scotland hit out at misinformation online but that information turned out to be true.”
“In that question, Malcolm Offord has used language that spreads division in our society. It has to be called out for what it is, and that is exactly what I said last week in relation to the language that Mr Offord used then. Our approach to allocation of housing is based on equality for all individuals. Nobody is put “to the back of the queue”, to use the language that Mr Offord has used. We apply the principle that people who are eligible for housing in Scotland should be treated as eligible for housing in Scotland, and we allocate houses accordingly. Malcolm Offord: Once again, the First Minister has not answered the question. My question was entirely measured and factual, and I have not had a response—perhaps the First Minister might write to me with one.”
“Ruth Charteris and BJ Gill will be a formidable team as Lord Advocate and Solicitor General, and they will serve Scotland well. I commend their nominations to Parliament. I move, That the Parliament agrees that it be recommended to His Majesty that Ruth Charteris KC be appointed as the Lord Advocate and that Brian (BJ) Gill KC be appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland. 17:18”
“I have every confidence that they will continue to reform and improve our criminal justice services. They will do so by leading prosecutors in the establishment of a new sexual offences court, bringing jury trials to a conclusion at the earliest opportunity and concluding complex death investigations as quickly as possible. Our new law officers will provide honest and consistent legal advice to the Cabinet and ministers. That is the case now, and—as some of my predecessors have said on several occasions— it will continue to be the case even when ministers do not like that advice or do not want to hear it. It is clear that, under the current system, the law officers can, and do, carry out their roles with independence and integrity. They always have done so, and they will continue to do so. That is necessary to uphold the rule of law.”
“It is important for any Lord Advocate to have a strong Solicitor General by their side, and, having consulted Ruth Charteris, I recommend that BJ Gill KC be appointed as Solicitor General. Mr Gill is a highly experienced advocate and prosecutor, and a candidate of outstanding calibre. He is currently a full-time advocate depute, which is a role that he has held since 2021. Mr Gill has acted in many judicial reviews and statutory appeals to the Court of Session and the United Kingdom Supreme Court, and was previously standing junior counsel to the Advocate General for Scotland and the Home Office. He is also chair of the Government’s independent review of the valuation of licensed hospitality properties. Ruth Charteris and BJ Gill share my Government’s overarching aim to make a difference to the lives of the people of Scotland.”
“Her advice as a legal adviser to me and to the Cabinet in recent years has been invaluable. Since 2021, together with the outgoing Lord Advocate, Ruth Charteris has taken forward work on reform and putting the interests of victims and witnesses at the centre of our justice system. She has driven that work forward successfully and has demonstrated a strong personal interest in prosecuting human trafficking and modern slavery much more effectively. I have asked her to continue that work as Lord Advocate. I am in no doubt whatsoever that Ruth Charteris has the ability and integrity to take on the role of Lord Advocate, and I am grateful to her for her commitment to public service in agreeing to take on this important task.”
“She brings a wealth of experience, having demonstrated outstanding legal expertise and leadership throughout her career. In that capacity, she has earned widespread respect across the legal profession and beyond, making her exceptionally well qualified to serve as Scotland’s Lord Advocate. Before her appointment as Solicitor General, Ruth Charteris was standing junior counsel to the Scottish Government and a full-time advocate depute at the Crown Office. She has also chaired the fitness to practise panel of the Scottish Social Services Council. During her time in post as Solicitor General, Ruth Charteris has successfully contributed to the conduct of major cases, including recently before the United Kingdom Supreme Court when she argued for the importance of the independence of the judiciary.”
“When I was sworn in as First Minister at the Court of Session last month, the Lord President referenced the importance of the rule of law to the operation of our democratic society. I am going to dwell on the importance of the rule of law in making these appointments today. The Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General play a vital role in Scotland in the upholding of the rule of law, in the administration of justice, and as guardians of the public interest. The appointment of the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General is important to how we uphold the law in Scotland. My proposed appointments of the law officers are based on the substantial experience of the nominees in both criminal and civil law matters. Since 2021, Ruth Charteris KC has served as Scotland’s Solicitor General.”
“She has taken a personal interest when engaging with victims before a trial takes place, and has acted at all times with grace and with empathy for those involved. As a result, she has successfully argued for changes in the law of evidence in Scotland’s courts, which have allowed more accused to be prosecuted. She has challenged unduly lenient sentences in the appeal court, so helping to ensure that Scotland’s sentencing practice truly reflects the harm that is caused by sexual offending. Dorothy Bain is an outstanding lawyer with 40 years of unimpeachable service to the public interest in Scotland. She is responsible for bringing to justice more cases of sexual violence by men against women than any other person has done. I thank Dorothy Bain very much for her exceptional service and wish her well for the future.”
“I am pleased to nominate to the Parliament a new Lord Advocate and a new Solicitor General for Scotland, to welcome them to the chamber at my side and to welcome their families to the gallery. I pay tribute to the outgoing Lord Advocate, the Rt Hon Dorothy Bain KC, and I thank her for her outstanding service to Scotland—first, in her previous role, in which she was widely recognised and praised as an exceptional prosecutor, and, secondly, over the past five years, as Scotland’s Lord Advocate. Dorothy Bain has delivered many outstanding achievements during her time as Lord Advocate. Her commitment to more effectively prosecuting those who commit violence against women and girls has ensured that those who carry out such crimes are more likely to be held to account. Dorothy Bain is not just an outstanding lawyer— she has led by example.”
“I recognise the importance of services being provided to women and girls who are the victims of domestic and gender-based violence. Through the equally safe programme, the Government provides funding for a range of different projects around the country and supports local authorities to provide financial support to individual organisations. I will explore the specifics of the case that Iris Duane has put to me, to ensure that any steps that the Government can take will be taken to ensure the provision of effective services that meet the needs of women and girls who go through the horror of experiencing domestic or gender-based violence. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. I apologise to the many members whose questions I was unable to take. Aberdeen’s Union Street and Glasgow’s People’s Palace (Investment)”
“Ministers wrote to the United Kingdom Government about the proposed 5p increase in fuel duty that was due to take effect from September this year. Thankfully, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has indicated that that will not take its course. However, there remains the substantive issue that Martyn Day has raised, which is that many businesses and householders pay a very high cost for their energy in what is an energy-rich country. My view on all that is that we will receive much more benefit from Scotland’s energy bounty if Scotland’s energy is in Scotland’s hands. Murray’s Initiative”
“I very much agree with Meghan Gallacher’s last point. Local dialogue on such projects is really important. I am conscious of a number of very sensitive projects. During First Minister’s question time the other week, a question was raised with me about an artificial intelligence data centre, and I am conscious of the concern that exists in local communities. The point that Meghan Gallacher makes about good, active and engaged local dialogue by developers is critical. Such issues have to be considered as part of the wider energy generation measures that we take forward, and the Government has a clear policy direction to support and encourage the development of renewable energy in Scotland.”
“Part of the Government’s approach in that respect is to move towards more sustainable heating solutions that will be good for the planet but also good for householders because they will involve lower costs. I agree with Angela Ross that we need to get to a situation where we have lower heating costs for householders. I have to say that I am not a world expert on the specifics of the configuration of gas boiler schemes, but I will have the issues explored. However, I say to Ms Ross that, in principle, the prevailing direction of Government policy is to encourage a move to more sustainable heating solutions, and good progress is being made on that. That will be reflected in the heat in buildings legislation that the Government will introduce. Solar”
“It is not really how a responsible local member of Parliament should operate. Mr Hoy will also realise that there are enormous challenges in construction projects just now because of external factors over which this Government has absolutely no control— principally, the construction price inflation that has arisen as a result of the war in Ukraine. Those are legitimate factors that we will work on in partnership with local authorities. What does not help is the constant haranguing from the miserabilists on the Conservative benches who just come here to complain and offer no solutions. It is no wonder that there are hardly any of them left. Gas Boiler Systems (Optimisation)”
“The Whitesands flood defence scheme in Dumfries has been under consideration for many years and I accept that there are divided opinions about it. Equally, however, I have been in the Parliament for long enough to hear members for Dumfries come here to express concern and horror for their constituents when they are affected by the flooding that takes place at the Whitesands. I have considerable experience of flooding in my constituency and I know how terrible it is for members of the public. I am not actually sure what Mr Hoy wants. Does he want to leave people vulnerable to flooding in their community? Is that what he wants? At some point, Mr Hoy, who is now the MSP for Dumfriesshire, has to decide whether he is acting to protect his constituents or just coming here to get another press release put out.”
“Individual health boards must respond to judgments made by the Scottish Medicines Consortium. We want that to be undertaken on a timely basis to ensure that individuals can have access to treatments and that they can be deployed. I will ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care to explore the steps being taken by Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board, to ensure that the necessary urgency is being applied in that respect. Whitesands Flood”
“The Government has always taken an interest in—and made a policy priority of—ensuring that community justice plays a part in the approaches that we take. All those elements are part of the wider delivery of Government policy on justice. Mounjaro (NHS Health Board Delays)”
“I am not sure that the article to which Mr Kerr refers was, in any way, a development of Government policy; I think it was a statement of Government policy. I am very attuned to the importance of the Government setting out its policy position to Parliament first, and that is exactly what we will do. However, it is important that ministers engage in interviews with representatives of the media, and I am sure that we would be criticised if we did not do that. The Government must strike a balance by ensuring that the prison estate is safe for prisoners and staff but also that those who have committed significant and heinous crimes are incarcerated. Mr Kerr will be aware that we are currently seeing longer sentences being given because of the nature of the crimes being committed, and that that is driving the increased prison population.”
“One crucial part of that work is the Government’s engagement with stakeholders that are concerned about the issues that Carol Mochan raises. Another is the participation of the alcohol industry in taking responsible approaches to alcohol consumption and ensuring that that forms part of our wider discussions. From my discussions with organisations such as the Scotch Whisky Association I know that they attach importance to being active participants in the promotion of that responsible message, so that individuals who are in any way, shape or form exposed to alcohol marking are able to make a considered judgment about the issues concerned with the consumption of alcohol. Prisons (Capacity)”
“One of the steps that we have taken is to devolve empty property relief to local authorities, with a concurrent transfer of £105 million each year to local government. Further, to incentivise the reoccupation of empty non-domestic properties, eligible properties may claim 100 per cent fresh start relief for up to 12 months. We are determined that, alongside the steps that are in place, which will benefit many of the businesses or properties to which Mr Melville refers, those businesses will be eligible for the small business bonus scheme. The Government is supporting regeneration in town centres, with more than £50 million committed in the 2026-27 budget. I hope that those measures will be effective and successful in supporting the work that Mr Melville is taking forward to support development in Arbroath. Alcohol Marketing (Young People)”
“I reassure Mr Harley that, on the general question, the Government is focusing on trying to ensure that rare diseases are properly and fully appreciated in the NHS. High Streets (Empty Units)”
“I am sorry to hear about the circumstances that Mr Harley raises about his constituent Hugo. The condition he describes will come into the category of rare diseases, because, as Mr Harley referred to, relatively few cases will exist. The Government has measures in place through the rare disease action plan, which tries to address the very issues that Mr Harley raises with me by identifying what steps we can take within a very broad national health service to ensure that the needs of absolutely everybody and their specialist requirements are met. I will ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care to engage directly about this constituency case and see whether any further action can be taken.”
“A shift is required in UK priorities to protect our coastline and to make sure that, to the north of Scotland, we have some capability to stand up to the threats that we face from Russia under the Putin regime; those threats require us to reshape our defence priorities. A greater investment in conventional maritime defence forces and the removal of our commitment to nuclear weapons would be a far more sensible defence strategy for this country. Rare Diseases (PANS-PANDAS)”
“There has obviously been a great deal of debate on the issue in the past few days, subsequent to the resignation of the Secretary of State for Defence. The point that Dawn Black puts to me is important, because we have huge maritime interests around the coastline of Scotland, which, in my view, are not adequately protected due to the disproportionate investment that is made by the UK Government in weapons of mass destruction that the UK cannot now adequately support while maintaining our defence footprint to protect the vital interests and infrastructure that Dawn Black refers to.”
“This is a welcoming country and the behaviour of the far right has no place on our streets. Defence Priorities (North Sea)”
“The Government is working on the proposed human rights legislation, which we will bring forward when it is fully developed. It is complex legislation, and it will require substantive dialogue with the Parliament. I associate myself entirely with Holly Bruce’s comments on the welcome to refugees. Scotland has always been and, certainly under my leadership, will always be a welcoming and inclusive country. On the streets of Glasgow at the weekend, there was quite a contrast between the many thousands of peaceful individuals setting out their welcome to refugees and a limited number of balaclava- wearing individuals doing Nazi salutes—on the streets of our country. I could not condemn those individuals and their behaviour more strongly today in this Parliament.”
“I will ensure that relevant ministers are in dialogue with Motability and with Mr Brown to ensure that the legitimate concerns that he raises with me are properly pursued to protect users in Scotland, particularly those in rural areas. Human Rights (Refugees and Migrants)”
“Mr Brown raises a significant issue, particularly for Motability car users in rural Scotland, where distance issues will be far more extensive than in more urban communities. The changes were made by the United Kingdom Government as a consequence of changes to tax exemptions in the November budget last year, which were implemented and taken forward by the UK Labour Government. As Mr Brown quite correctly says, that erodes the rights of disabled people. The 1 July 2026 commencement date that was announced by Motability for its changes in the rest of the UK will not apply in Scotland. However, other changes might be required.”
“The Government has more extensive support in place for council tax payments, as council tax benefit exists in Scotland whereas it does not exist in other parts of the United Kingdom, which is because of policy decisions taken by this Government. We are providing practical support to people in the payment of their council tax bills. We have written off a certain amount of council tax debt, but council tax payments are obviously essential to support the delivery of local services. I will explore what other measures can be taken to ensure that advice and support are available to people so that they can pay council tax. I stress that many people are eligible for council tax benefit in Scotland, but not in other parts of the UK.”
“I will reflect that in the communication to the MCA. The Presiding Officer: Unless we get shorter questions and shorter answers, we will get through a lot fewer questions than we did last week. Council”
“I am grateful to Mr Baxter for raising such an important issue, which arises out of a recent court decision that has resulted in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency withdrawing payments to individuals who volunteer as part of the coastguard service. Mr Baxter is absolutely right about the significant dependence that we have on individuals volunteering. The removal of payments, as opposed to the payment of expenses, is a significant factor to be wrestled with by volunteers in the coastguard team. I will happily write to United Kingdom Government ministers on this question. It is an entirely reserved issue, as Mr Baxter correctly sets out. In setting out our view, I will say that Mr Baxter has raised the matter with me in the Parliament and that the issue commands support across the political spectrum.”
“The Government’s conditions require there to be substantive engagement with staff and trade unions, and the Government will ensure that that is the case. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Payments)”
“We have to be careful about the accountabilities, because the University of Dundee is an independent institution and the Scottish Funding Council acts independently. However, on this particular issue, a ministerial direction, using powers in section 25 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, directs how the funding can be used. The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic has spoken to the university’s principal, its chair of court and the Funding Council about those issues, and the Government will continue to engage with them. I give Heather Anderson the assurance that the Government attaches the greatest priority to meaningful and effective dialogue with members of staff, who, I recognise, will be feeling deeply alarmed by the announcements that were made by the university.”
“As a member who represents a constituency that adjoins the city of Dundee, I have local interests in the matter, but I will answer the question as the First Minister. The University of Dundee’s announcement this morning of a consultation on further job cuts is extremely disappointing. Heather Anderson is absolutely right that public funding is involved, and the utilisation of those public funds must be compliant with the conditions that were associated with the section 25 direction that was given by ministers previously. The Scottish Funding Council has looked at the University of Dundee’s proposals and, in its assessment, believes that the university has complied with the funding conditions. However, ministers have not been assured on the details, and we will require to see them, as the direction came from ministers.”
“Mr Bibby’s question highlights the need for reform in how we deliver care and support at the local level, and the Parliament has an opportunity to engage to address together some of the important questions that he has put to me. The Government will set out proposals on the reform of health and social care in our communities to ensure that people’s needs are met. I look forward to engaging in constructive discussion with people such as Mr Bibby, because, if we want to deliver for the vulnerable in our society, we all have to prepare to take tough decisions to ensure that services meet the needs of people in our communities. University of Dundee (Job Losses)”
“In the Government’s budget for the current financial year, we put in place increased financial support for the health service and for local government, and the health and social care budgets, to which Mr Bibby referred, come from those two increased budgets. I understand and appreciate the significance of all the projects that Mr Bibby mentioned, but we rely on health and social care partnerships to take considered decisions about the delivery of services within localities. Mr Bibby has put on the record his point about the importance of supporting services for the vulnerable, and the Government increased the budgets for health and local government to enable such support to be provided.”
“In response to Mr Kerr’s question, the success of and the capturing of the country’s imagination by the weekend’s sporting events helped to reinforce sport’s importance in our society. The Government has announced a variety of initiatives to encourage a summer of sport, which includes support for the world cup fund to support young boys and girls to follow their sporting dreams, and £275,000 of funding to support the work that is delivered across the country by Street Soccer Scotland. The summer of sport contains a number of other welcome initiatives to encourage sporting participation in the country. After the weekend, we should all take stock and be very grateful for the tremendous inspiration offered by the Scotland national team and the tartan army, who are a credit to our country. Health and Social Care Partnerships (Budgets)”
“I express the warmest congratulations of everyone in the Scottish Parliament and, indeed, the whole of our country on the outstanding performance of Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, the Scotland team and the tartan army, who were an absolute credit to our country in the United States at the weekend. [Applause]. It was a particular pleasure to see our fans making such a positive impression in Boston and capturing the city’s imagination and interest. On Friday evening, the governor of Massachusetts and the mayor of Boston both indicated to me their joy in what the fans had brought to the city. On Saturday, I was, like everyone else, able to witness our team’s success as it won against Haiti, which augurs well for the remainder of the world cup campaign.”
“I am keen to ensure that every available teacher is able to be deployed in Scottish education, and the education secretary will happily work with others to ensure that that is the case. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. I have to say that I was disappointed by the lack of ambition for Scotland’s world cup campaign—last 16, last 32. Come on, everyone.”
“If additional input is to come from the Liberal Democrats, the Cabinet Secretary for Education will be happy to engage on that question, because we have to explore all the practical steps. Mr Cole-Hamilton said that teachers were leaving the country to go to teach in Dubai or other locations and could not find jobs in Scotland, but he was pressing me about teaching vacancies in Scotland. There is a slight contradiction in that argument; there are plenty of teaching opportunities available, and we will work with individuals to ensure that that is the case. [Interruption.] I am not quite sure what point Mr Cole-Hamilton is making to me when I spell out the illogicality at the heart of his question, but I will leave it for Mr Cole-Hamilton to study the record and work out where we are going.”
“One practical way in which we can fill those vacancies is to make it much easier for primary school teachers to requalify to work in our secondary schools. Indeed, the General Teaching Council for Scotland said that that was a “practical solution for … employers to address specific recruitment issues.” Scotland’s young people deserve the right to study whatever they want, wherever they are. Will the First Minister instruct his Government to sit down with the Liberal Democrats and teaching bodies to deliver sensible solutions such as that? The First Minister: As I understand it, work is already under way with the General Teaching Council on exactly the point that Mr Cole-Hamilton raises.”
“The Government works with local authorities to take forward workforce planning activity to ensure that we have a full and comprehensive network of teaching personnel in every part of the country. Alex Cole-Hamilton: The First Minister is quick to lean into the likes of e-Sgoil, but that requires far more support than the Government is currently providing. I am not sure that the First Minister fully understands just how depressing it is for new teachers to come out of training and to have to head to the likes of Dubai or Darwin for a job because they cannot find one here. It makes no sense. On the one hand, we have teachers who cannot find jobs and, on the other, subjects are being cut due to a lack of teachers.”