George Adam
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“The spirit of hope, optimism and belief has always been part of Scotland’s heart and Scotland’s story, which is why the motion feels so out of place in our chamber. Where Scotland sees hope, Reform sees grievance. Where Scotland sees opportunity, Reform sees division.”
“The tartan army have travelled in numbers, as they always do, and they have shown the world exactly what Scotland is all about. Scotland is good humoured, looks for friendship and shows respect to others and their culture—and is a wee bit gallus.”
“By the end, it reads like the ramblings of a very angry man sitting on his own in the corner of the pub, complaining about immigrants, about net zero, about equality, about young people and about Scotland—and eventually falling out with absolutely everyone else in the pub.”
“It is Nigel Farage—the same Nigel Farage who promised prosperity and delivered labour shortages, higher costs, barriers to trade and years of economic uncertainty— Malcolm Offord: Will the member take an intervention? George Adam:—and now he is back, demanding that Scotland trusts him again.”
“What Scotland needs is confidence in ourselves—confidence to build our communities and confidence in our ability to build a fair economy that works for everyone. We need confidence that our future is not bound up in the bitterness and division offered by Reform UK.”
“George Adam: His lordship’s argument is that it is slightly better than it is for somebody else next door. That is complete and utter nonsense. Presiding Officer, I used to be in the motor industry—if someone sold you a second-hand car that immediately burst into flames, you would not turn up and ask for a second one, would you?”
The complete record
Every one of 411 lines we hold for George Adam, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 9.
“With regard to free tuition and the Scottish Government’s commitment to it, I would like to start with the fundamentals. Since 2007, approximately 740,000 students have had free tuition on the higher education route. The SNP is resolute in its continued commitment to free education and free tuition, which ensures that higher education in Scotland is based on the ability to learn and not on the ability to pay. Because of free tuition, undergraduate students in Scotland do not accrue a potential additional-fee debt of around £28,000. In England, that comes to around £53,000-worth of debt. Scotland has the lowest average debt in the UK, and here there is also an impressive rise in widening access. History has shown us that, whether in Scotland, England or Wales, Labour tends to put up tuition fees.”
“For the second time this week, I follow my childhood sporting hero, Brian Whittle. As always in these debates, I am going to be extremely positive, because that is my nature and I cannot be any other way. I do not see the dystopian picture of the Scottish higher education sector that some—although not all—of the Opposition members seem to be talking about. I want to talk about the practical aspects of widening access and how it is working in the real world—the real lives that are being changed for the better and the access that might create a better future for them. There might be some talk of the great town of Paisley in my speech, but that part might have been nicked by Mr Rennie already. That just shows that I am seeing the positive message of Paisley all the time.”
“I hope that, in his summing-up speech, the minister will have something substantive to say about how we can deal with the challenges that we face, so that, at last, we can make some progress. 15:48”
“We have managed to get the numbers up; it is not by as much as I would like, but it can be done. Therefore, I do not quite know why the Government is holding back on the issue. If it is not a priority, it should just be honest and say so. To be fair to the Government, progress has been made, but it has flatlined. We should therefore re-examine our priorities, because, ultimately, this issue is about getting those from disadvantaged backgrounds into the workplace. We know that economic inactivity levels in Scotland are shocking. Widening access to higher education is part of the solution. We need to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to get a good job.”
“I wish that the Government would be honest with us about why it has not made progress on the unique learner number. We should have an open debate about the challenges. We acknowledge that, sometimes, such things are hard to do, but the Government is not being honest about it, and we get the impression that it is not that interested in doing it. It should be honest: if it does not want to do it, it should tell us why it is not going to do it and say what it is going to do instead. There are means to do what needs to be done. For years, we were trying to get the two-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds into the nursery sector, but the numbers were pathetic. The Government went to the Department for Work and Pensions to access particular records in order to make sure that those children got in, and progress was made.”
“Therefore, the students who are going off to universities are the ones who were already trying to access those courses. Secondly, we take great pride in Scotland’s college route being a unique route into higher education, with people doing their national certificates and their higher national certificates and then working up to degree level, and the articulation that creates a smooth pathway into universities. Although the percentages of people coming through that route have increased in recent years, the actual number has fallen, which is an indication of the fact that, as Miles Briggs said, colleges have shrunk. We do not have as many people going into colleges, so we do not have as many people accessing that unique route into higher education. That brings me to my next point.”
“To be fair to the Government, it set that challenge, and the universities have responded positively to it. That shows what can be done if we set quite tough targets. However, we have not met those targets, and we therefore need to look again at why the progress that has been made by those institutions has stalled. There are two things that we should consider. The first is that, with regard to widening access through schools, we have to acknowledge that the attempt to close the poverty-related attainment gap has not worked. It has been an aim for 10 years and the gap is supposed to have closed by next year, but we are nowhere near that happening. There is some infinitesimal improvement in primary schools, but, in secondary schools, progress has pretty well flatlined.”
“It also provides a bridging year course, which helps students to get into the university. The university provides scholarships and engages in outreach to almost every school across the country that asks for it. Further, it provides a particular course for Fifers: First Chances Fife, which goes into some of the poorest communities in Fife, including Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Levenmouth. The university also provides mentoring. I notice the difference that all those initiatives have made. When I go round the streets of St Andrews now, the accents are different—it is not all just Americans and people from England or other parts of the world. There are Glaswegians and even Fifers in the university now. There has been tremendous progress. Both those institutions have risen to the challenge that the Government set for them.”
“It provides an introduction to university for those young people through a 10-week module, which is delivered in the school, not the university, and is run by lecturers and staff from the institution. On completion of the academy, a participant can get Scottish credit and qualifications framework credits. It has been so successful that Times Higher Education nominated it for the widening participation initiative award in 2024. The university has done that by itself, with no extra money from the Government, and it has made significant progress. You would never expect the University of St Andrews to be treating widening access as a top priority, but it does. Alongside its work on contextual admissions, its gateway programme, which I have seen for myself, provides a tailored first-year course for those from SIMD 20 backgrounds.”
“For the sake of clarity, I was not quite as excited about it as Mr Rennie was. [Laughter.] Willie Rennie: Two very important universities have been part of my life. The first is what I called Paisley tech when I was there in the 1980s, which is now the University of the West of Scotland, and the second is the University of St Andrews. Both have achieved remarkable progress on widening access. The University of the West of Scotland, which Mr Adam knows very well, has a fantastic foundation academy that reaches out to 34 schools through a range of councils—I think that it is 10 councils in total. It has enrolled 3,500 pupils at no cost to the schools and councils that are involved.”
“I and my colleague Angus Robertson have written to UK ministers to encourage a resolution, and I will continue to press them for that. Negotiations are on-going, but it would be a significant missed opportunity for people here in Scotland and across the UK, and for the BBC, were it not to step up and be the domestic broadcaster for the games.”
“Neil Gray: Mr Whittle was someone I looked up to when I was a 400m runner—and I can say with a straight face that I genuinely was a wee boy in 1990: I was four years old. The point that George Adam makes is a serious one. It is hard for people to be inspired when they cannot see inspiring performances. That is why broadcasting will play a vital role in sharing the excitement of the games, bringing every moment of sporting excellence into homes across the Commonwealth. I am aware that Commonwealth Sport and Glasgow 2026 Ltd—the organising company—is still in the process of agreeing a domestic United Kingdom rights holder for broadcasting. Last week I met the president of Commonwealth Sport, Donald Rukare, to reiterate the importance of showing the Commonwealth games on free-to- air television.”
“I remember when Mr Whittle was a sporting hero, running the anchor leg for Scotland in the 1990 Commonwealth games and winning silver for his nation. I watched that when I was a wee boy— [Laughter.] I watched it on television with my family—that is the important part, because there is growing concern about the availability of free-to-air coverage, which allows us to have those moments with our families around the television. Can the cabinet secretary say any more about any engagement with the BBC; the Minister of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ian Murray; or the Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander, to ensure that everyone can support our athletes and have those TV moments?”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to preserve and enhance historic buildings in Scotland’s town centres. (S6O-05208)”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding plans for the proposed Clyde metro. (S6O-05180)”
“The other area for improvement is staffing. Children with complex needs are often supported and cared for by staff who have no specific training in that area at all. That is why the Scottish Greens have been working with the Scottish Government on proposals for a qualification and registration system for ASN assistants. There are solutions to the problems that our schools face. This Parliament should be far more focused on those solutions than is often the case in these debates, but I am glad that we have at least had the opportunity to discuss those issues. They could not be more important to the people we represent—individuals, families and communities—and to our society as a whole. 17:00”
“The 2004 act needs to be updated, which must include revising the criteria for a CSP, as well as creating a power for those plans to be updated by regulation in future. The Greens were disappointed when the Scottish Government announced that it would drop the proposed learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence bill in this session of the Parliament, as that would have been our opportunity to at least fix that aspect of the 2004 act. I hope that the next Government makes the time for an LDAN bill and for a full revision of the 2004 act, either as part of that bill or through a stand- alone piece of legislation. Changing legislation alone will not solve the huge challenges that are faced by young people with additional needs and those trying to support them, but it is an essential part of the process.”
“However, because those councillors are located in schools, they do not count as a separate source of support. The 2004 act requires there to have been support from at least two sources for at least 12 months in order for a child to qualify for a co-ordinated support plan. The step forward in access to mental health support has perversely led to a step backward in access to CSPs for some young people. However, that is far from the whole story. It certainly does not explain why only one in every 150 children who has a recognised additional support need have a CSP. Not every child who has additional needs requires a CSP, but thousands more do, and they are not able to get one.”
“The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 set out rigid criteria for a co- ordinated support plan, which is the only kind of plan for children with additional support needs that has statutory underpinning. That makes it the only plan that gives a child and their parents or carers the option of going to a tribunal for redress if their needs are not met. In hindsight, the criteria for a CSP should never have been included in the bill; they should have been set out in regulations, which would have made it much easier for them to evolve in response to changes in our schools and society at large. For example, we have massively expanded access to mental health counsellors in schools, which is an area of progress that we should all be proud of.”
“The other major challenge that we hear about more than any other from teachers and school staff is the lack of support for children with additional needs. Much like workload and bureaucracy, that challenge is not new, but the situation has gotten much worse recently. The grim reality is that many children with additional support needs must catastrophically fail before the support that they need is put into place. Trauma has become a prerequisite of support, when it could be avoided entirely. There is a range of reasons for that, one of which is that the underpinning legislation is simply out of date and is no longer fit for purpose.”
“That is proof that the Scottish Government’s commitment to create multiple pathways is working. Our teachers are working hard and our young people are achieving more than ever. The Government is investing more, delivering more and supporting more than any other Administration in the United Kingdom. For the debate to be valid and constructive, we must accept the current successes in education and see how we can take them to the next level. Only then can we really say that we are looking to build a better educational landscape for our young people. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to closing speeches. 16:57 Lorna Slater: In my opening speech, I talked about the crushing workload challenges that teachers face as a result of the expansive and unnecessary bureaucracy that is built around our curriculum.”
“Scotland’s teachers and young people deserve better than a narrative that overlooks progress, ignores success and, at times, seems more focused on political point scoring than solutions. The truth, which is backed by evidence from across Scotland, is that the Government is delivering improvements and is investing heavily in working side by side with teachers to build a better education system. Look at the facts: attainment is rising, pass rates for national 5, higher and advanced higher are up in comparison with not only last year but pre-pandemic levels. Literacy and numeracy attainment in our primary and secondary schools are also at a record high. If that is failure, I would hate to see what success looks like to Opposition parties. Record numbers of young people—more than 110,000—are achieving vocational and technical qualifications.”
“In saying that, I recognise, as I always must, the real challenges that teachers and school staff are dealing with every day, whether that is the rising number of children with additional support needs, the lingering effects of the pandemic, or the pressures that come from supporting families through a cost of living crisis that is not of Scotland’s making. Our teachers are carrying a huge weight and I put on record my gratitude to them all. Their commitment, compassion and professionalism are the backbone of Scotland’s education system. However, acknowledging challenge is not the same as accepting the bleak and, frankly, uninspiring picture that is painted by Labour’s motion.”
“I was meant to be there for only a short time, but I ended up spending about an hour and a half or two hours there—with my office manager going backwards and forwards regularly to try to get me out— because it was so interesting to listen to those young people who are in that resource to learn. They probably knew more about politics than a lot of the members in the chamber today. As always, I will talk about my personal circumstances. My granddaughter Daisy was diagnosed with autism. In the past year, she has been put into a class along with other neurodivergent young boys and girls, and she has moved forward.”
“The cabinet secretary was right to bring up the importance of hope. We all know the story of Pandora’s box, which was not actually a box—it was just a sealed container. Pandora opened it and released all the troubles of the world, and only hope remained inside the box. That tells us that things can be better and that, in difficult times, we can make things a lot better. However, I get the impression from listening to Labour Party members that if they ever had what was left of Pandora’s box, they would just toss the jar. I turn to the reality in my constituency. On Friday, I was at a flexible learning resource for senior-phase pupils with additional support needs at a school in Foxbar in Paisley.”
“The cabinet secretary opened her speech by talking about Scotland’s men’s football team and the hope that they have given us all with the great result that they had last night. In celebrating the result, I have to remind members that all roads to the United States lead to Paisley—or rather, go through Paisley, whether it is going to Paisley international airport or the fact that Steve Clarke, John McGinn, Kenny McLean and Lawrence Shankland all played for the mighty St Mirren in Paisley. As always, there is a Paisley connection. Three of those players were youth players. Currently, St Mirren—along with the University of the West of Scotland, which is connected to the debate—has a programme to ensure that players who do not make it to the top grade in football get the opportunity to do something else and look at another career.”
“It is about creating high- quality jobs and supporting our communities, where many distilleries and breweries are located. It is, of course, about Paisley and the fact that we have our first brewery in 125 years—a family business that works in our community and is an important part of the community. It is about ensuring that Scottish products remain the benchmark for quality and sustainability in global markets. I commend Gordon MacDonald for bringing this important matter to the Parliament’s attention, and I look forward to seeing the centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University flourish and continue to make a lasting contribution to Scotland’s economic and environmental future. 17:50”
“The new centre for sustainable brewing and distilling will also play a crucial role in skills development. Scotland needs a highly skilled workforce to maintain our competitive advantage in those sectors. By providing world-class education and training in sustainable brewing and distilling practice, the university will help to ensure that we have the talent pipeline that is necessary to drive innovation and growth for decades to come, producing more success stories such as Sandy McKelvie and Two Towns Down in Paisley. This initiative is about more than just environmental responsibility, although that alone would be reason enough to support it. It is about securing Scotland’s economic future in sectors where we already excel.”
“What makes the initiative particularly exciting is its potential to support businesses of all sizes, from multinational corporations to small craft producers. As you know, Presiding Officer, all roads lead to Paisley. In my constituency, we are incredibly proud of the Two Towns Down brewery, which is the first brewery in the town of Paisley for 125 years and was founded in 2019 by Heriot-Watt graduate Sandy McKelvie. Two Towns Down is a perfect example of how a world-class education in brewing and distilling can translate into a thriving local business. Sandy honed his skills at the university before launching his brewery, which now operates a successful taproom and hosts community events, including brewery tours, beer festivals and popular monthly quiz nights.”
“The establishment of a dedicated centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University represents an exciting opportunity to cement Scotland’s position as a world leader in the sector. The centre will combine academic excellence with practical industry application, ensuring that our brewing and distilling sectors remain at the cutting edge of innovation and sustainability. Sustainability is no longer optional—it is essential. The brewing and distilling industries face significant challenges to reduce their environmental impact, from water usage and energy consumption to waste management and carbon emissions. The new centre will provide the research, innovation and training that are needed to address those challenges head on.”
“I am delighted to contribute to this member’s business debate, which was secured by my colleague and best bud Gordon MacDonald, on the vision for a new centre for sustainable brewing and distilling at Heriot- Watt University. Mr MacDonald has been well known for supporting the industry quite vigorously himself over the years and in the time that I have known him. Scotland’s brewing and distilling heritage is internationally renowned, from the whisky distilleries of Speyside to the craft breweries that are emerging across our nation. Those industries are not just part of our cultural identity; they are vital contributors to our economy, supporting thousands of jobs and generating billions in export revenue.”
“With tighter clarity on online touting, co-ordination, precise exemptions, practical support for traders and proportionate enforcement, the bill can deliver that balance. Let us make Euro 2028 not just a great tournament at Hampden, but a tournament that feels like Scotland—fair, welcoming and proud. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I apologise for that slight misdirection, Mr Adam. I call Brian Whittle. You have around four minutes, Mr Whittle. 15:32”
“It is essential to strike the right balance between commercial infringement and being careful with civil liberties. I feel that I have taken quite a bit of time, Presiding Officer. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I advise Mr Adam that the clerks have reminded me on VAR that speeches in the open debate should be four minutes and not six minutes, so I would be grateful if he could begin to conclude. George Adam: I am into overtime, so I will be very quick. Football belongs to its supporters first and foremost. As a St Mirren fan and as a Scotland supporter, I want kids, families and lifelong fans to get in at fair prices and local businesses to benefit, with their rights being respected.”
“I have gone round the houses on the issue of street trading, because Glasgow traders help to make our big occasions special. Who has not heard, “Get your hats, scarves and flags here” at many a game? Glasgow City Council needs to work with those traders to ensure that they get an opportunity to operate elsewhere, given that UEFA and its sponsors are spending quite a lot of money on the championship. On advertising, ambush marketing should not be allowed to hijack the tournament, but the committee has been clear that we must draw a line between commercial promotion and social or political expression. Peaceful non-commercial protest is part of Scotland’s democracy and democratic life and it should not be chilled by event rules.”
“On exemptions, the committee has questioned the drafting that would allow UEFA to sell tickets. The committee has the right to do that, and I share the concern. We need absolute clarity that a loophole will not be created for individuals to personally profit. Regardless of who they are and where they got the tickets from, the intent is to enable proper distribution and not open the door to officials touting tickets. I am passionate about beating ticket touts whoever they are, although I equally recognise that the commercial revenue that is generated for UEFA and its corporate partners supports our beautiful game. Tightening the explanatory notes or guidance should give fans confidence that the system will be fair and that they will get value for money on tickets and merchandise.”
“It also sets out clear enforcement powers and includes a sunset clause so that special measures will lapse after the tournament. On ticket touting, the committee heard clear evidence about whether we are actually tackling modern online resales from sellers that sit outside Scotland. The 2025 bill removes the extraterritorial element that existed in 2020, which means that a question remains about what practical co- ordination is in place across the UK to stop the profiteering that prices ordinary fans out of the game. Fans should not be outbid by bots and scalpers when all they want to do is see their country play. The committee highlighted that, if we need a published cross-border plan with operational guidance from Police Scotland and its counterparts, we should say so and get that done.”
“Regardless of what we say and do here, Hampden will be bouncing when the games happen. Our job is to ensure that the law helps us to host well-organised events while protecting people’s rights and local livelihoods. Euro 2028 is more than a tournament: it will showcase Scotland to the world as a dynamic, welcoming and ambitious nation. Independent analysis suggests that there will be £2.6 billion in socioeconomic benefits across the UK and Ireland, with real opportunities for tourism and hospitality here in Scotland to benefit. The bill, as others have said, does three main things: it bans ticket touting for profit; it controls street trading in event zones at set times; and it prevents ambush advertising around Euro 2028.”
“Some nations claim that football is coming home when it goes to their nation but we all know that the modern, passing game of football was born in Glasgow, not far from the stadium that will host the games, and that it was the great Queen’s Park that brought us forward from the rugby-type game played in other parts of the home nations to the silky football that we now regularly see in Scotland. Clare Adamson: Does George Adam also recognise the work of Elspeth King, who passed away last week? She was a historian who was well-respected across this chamber and who discovered and verified that a football found at Stirling castle was the first to be recognised as such. George Adam: That would have been an interesting game, although completely different from the modern game that Queen’s Park invented, but I recognise that too.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: You are being led astray, Mr Adam. George Adam: I would like to, but I am sure the Deputy Presiding Officer will stop me from straying from the actual issue under debate. However, I think that that is something that we should discuss in this Parliament in future. Football brings people together, in between the times when we all fall out about various aspects of the game. As the minister said, today is armistice day, and everyone knows the story of the first Christmas of the great war, in 1914, when those on the western front systematically stopped fighting and met in no man’s land. They passed each other gifts, drinks and trinkets and they played football, because football is the international language that everyone understands. I want Euro 2028 in Glasgow to be a celebration of football.”
“As someone who has followed Scotland both home and away and who proudly backs St Mirren—the Paisley buddies—I have a lot to say about our national game in general. Some might be shocked by what I will speak on today. I could talk about the quality, or lack of quality, of Scottish football refereeing or of the video assistant referee as a separate subsection of the same debate, or about whether Scotland fans should be allowed a pint as they watch the game, but today is not about those important issues of our national game; it is about hosting Euro 2028. Stephen Kerr: Mr Adam has intrigued me and, given that we have the luxury of a few extra minutes, I would quite like to hear George Adam’s views on giving our football fans the right to have a pint at a match, because that is something that we on this side of the chamber very much support.”
“That is why we need directly elected conveners—and I also believe that they should be paid.”
“The nature of what we do in committee involves holding ministers to account—indeed, that is what we come here to do, to a very large measure. Last week, in Alex Massie’s column in The Times, he described something that he witnessed at First Minister’s question time, when, basically, the convener of a very powerful committee in effect asked the First Minister—and I quote— “why are you so good?” For some members, that might be fine, but I think that conveners should have the self-respect to know that they have an official role to play in this Parliament, meaning that, occasionally, they cannot indulge in some of the stuff that might be quite enjoyable and even pantomime-like. Some people find that edifying or even entertaining, but we should expect something different from a convener.”
“Stephen Kerr: Paul Sweeney knows that I believe very strongly in directly elected conveners. That is one way for us to get the Scottish Parliament’s levels of scrutiny back up. I also think that it would be a good idea if conveners made a commitment to stay in post. Similarly, I do not think that the turnover of committee memberships is good at all, because members do not develop a feel for the subject matter. If someone stays long enough, they begin to love the subject matter, even if they did not really have much interest in it when they first ended up on the committee. The whole way in which committees are constructed and the nature of the role of the convener are so important. Last week in The Times, Alex Massie described something that happened in the chamber last Thursday. I will not name names, but I think that he has a point.”
“We have to see people in the round, and I would say to George Adam that we all have aspects to which other members might object, but often there are other parts of the same person that people will admire. That is true of how I feel about George Adam, for example. That is how we gel as a committee. I will now give way to Paul Sweeney. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I will briefly say that I appreciate that Stephen Kerr has been very generous with his interventions, so I will give him up to 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Paul Sweeney: I have noted Mr Kerr’s point about convenership. Perhaps it comes back to his point about the need to seek election, build a mandate across the chamber and command the confidence of everyone. That would be a self- regulatory check on overly partisan behaviour.”
“The problem with having someone in that role is that they need to have the leadership in order to be able to work with everyone. Stephen Kerr: I have worked for a long time with the convener of that committee. When one gets to know him, one understands how he works. Ultimately, it is because of his particular way of questioning that things often come to light that otherwise might not have. Paul Sweeney: Will the member give way? Stephen Kerr: I will, in a second. What is necessary for committees to be effective, particularly with witnesses who are in the category that Evelyn Tweed described in her excellent speech, is that there is constructive tension in the room. Douglas Ross, to whom George Adam was referring, is very good at that.”
“I have been listening to everything that Mr Kerr has been saying. We have had our disagreements, but we have always kept everything open and friendly when discussing things. In my time in the Scottish Parliament, though, I have never faced a situation in which a convener, regardless of political party, has been so objecting—to me—and so difficult, until now, when there is someone on the Education, Children and Young People Committee with whom I cannot work and who is extremely difficult and partisan. The colleague sitting in front of Mr Kerr—Sue Webber—was excellent in her time, but her replacement became difficult. I come back to the leadership issue that was mentioned by the convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The voting platform was goosed. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Adam, for your technological explanation. We will ensure that your vote is recorded.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local cultural activities and festivals to encourage economic development and tourism. (S6O-05080)”
“The minister will be aware that, in 2022, the Scottish Government invested £1.3 million in refreshing computing science for pupils. Can the minister provide the Parliament with an update on the funding and on what progress it has supported so far? Richard Lochhead: The member is correct: in 2022, we made available £1.3 million for schools to bid for additional equipment to transform their teaching of computing science with updated physical computing devices and all the resources that have to go with that, giving them the flexibility to choose equipment that would best suit their needs. I am proud to say that that funding has supported 304 secondary schools across Scotland. Much more needs to be done, but I hope that that gives the member some examples of the progress that has been made.”
“He then doubled down, and throughout the meeting, dismissed the independent Withers review as only a point of view, despite it being an extensive and credible piece of work. The Government is already considering some of the stuff in the Withers review, such as consolidating funding bodies, addressing system fragmentation, improving transparency and responsiveness, supporting parity of esteem and enabling better data and outcomes. If we get this right and deliver those things, that will ensure that we can build the economic model and that we have the right trades and people in the right place at the right time. We should go forward with the bill. There is much work to be done, particularly on the figures, but it is important that we get it right and move on. 16:01”