Miles Briggs
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“Angela Constance: It was always going to be the case that the old hospital would continue to be used while the new hospital was being built, which means that important investment is required in that regard.”
“The Sunday Mail reported on 26 April that ministers had failed to sign off on the business case for the new Monklands hospital prior to the election, so it is important that the cabinet secretary publishes the information that Scottish ministers knew during that period and that she explains why there was no statement to the Parliament bef…”
“I am happy to furnish Mr Briggs with further information about the process. When we deal with any full business case, it is important that that is thoroughly examined and scrutinised, out of respect for those who have compiled it.”
“The Nuclear Industry Association estimates that Scotland’s civil nuclear industry could have supported more than 10,000 jobs if the sector had experienced the same growth as has been evident south of the border, in England. The Scottish Government must reflect on the opportunities that the country will miss out on in years to come.”
“Whatever views members may hold on the nuclear power sector, there should be broad agreement that Torness has been one of the most significant economic and industrial assets that our country has ever had.”
“With the ongoing instability in the middle east and the consequent volatility of global gas prices, households and businesses are vulnerable to price shocks. New nuclear energy would put energy back in our own hands, protect us from fossil fuel price volatility and deliver much-needed energy security.”
The complete record
Every one of 469 lines we hold for Miles Briggs, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 10.
“I therefore express concern that the bill would create a situation in which some young people could go through their education without having the opportunity to understand other religions and faiths. I thank my colleagues Tess White and Pam Gosal for their work on the committee. They were consistent in their questioning and in raising concerns in the committee evidence sessions. As I said earlier, it is important that we look towards children having a say in their education, but any change must also respect the crucial role of parents and carers in helping to shape their upbringing. We are concerned that the bill risks creating confusion and conflict within families, with unclear safeguards on how parental rights and children’s views would be balanced in practice, while placing significant burdens on our schools and teaching staff.”
“Is it the case that we have not looked at that very important group of people, as part of the Promise, when it comes to decision making in schools? I studied higher religious education when I was at school. As the convener has stated, it is very important that we make the case for a greater understanding of different faiths and beliefs and, through learning and experiences in our schools, break down the barriers that debates in the chamber often look towards. We live in an increasingly diverse and multicultural society. In a world in which global connections and communications are deeply entrenched, we need to understand one another and our religions.”
“Dr Douglas Hutchison of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland said: “it is difficult to imagine any straightforward or consistent mechanism to make it work that would not be burdensome for the school and onerous for” the relationship between “the child and parent.”—[Official Report, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 7 October 2025; c 33- 4.] That is where I have concerns over what that will mean for those children who will, potentially, be withdrawn from those lessons. There is a concern—which I also note from the committee’s report—about the isolation of young people in our schools in the model that would be delivered. Also not touched on are care-experienced young people and the decision making around them. I do not know whether that has been overlooked by the Scottish Government.”
“As Sarah Quinn of the Educational Institute of Scotland said, “we have significant concerns about the apparent underestimation of the resources that will be required for implementation and about the potential impact on workload and relationships. We do not feel that the bill fully realises our policy intentions for pupils’ rights”.—[Official Report, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 7 October 2025; c 26.] We have just had a question about less contact time. The bill would put more duties on our teachers.”
“Alex Cole-Hamilton: Does Miles Briggs recognise the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which has repeatedly said that we are out of step with the provisions of the convention by not legislating to allow children the right to have their voice heard? Miles Briggs: What is important is how that can work in practice. The work of the committee has exposed that what that means in practice is often contradictory. Having taken a number of interventions, I want to come on to what that will mean in classrooms. I wonder what the cabinet secretary, as a former teacher, has thought about how it would work in practice were she back in the classroom. I will concentrate on the workability of the proposal in the school environment and the impacts that it will have on the wider school community.”
“I will come on to talk about that later in my speech. We are concerned about the impact that the bill will have in our classrooms. As we have heard, we are making laws without having data available, but we believe that what is proposed is, in effect, already happening in Scotland. When we look at the survey that the Scottish Government undertook in three council areas, we see that, potentially, about 4,000 pupils are currently being withdrawn from RME and RO without any legislation needing to be put in place. I agree with the point that the Church of Scotland raised in its briefing, which was that the issue that the Scottish Government is trying to address would be better dealt with through training, learning and development, rather than by imposing those duties on teachers.”
“I wonder whether Mr Briggs will respond to some of those points. Miles Briggs: I do not disagree with some of the points that the cabinet secretary has made. The issue is about balance. Earlier, she outlined a system of opt-in and opt-out for young people— the hokey-cokey system that has been created. Ultimately, it feels like the bill is flawed and not fit for purpose, which is where the committee’s work— Martin Whitfield: Will the member take an intervention? Miles Briggs: I will. Martin Whitfield: Is the challenge not that we are moving the decision making about the conflict—the tension between two different groups of human rights—on to teachers in the classroom? They are in a stressed position, but they will have to take a position that they could subsequently be criticised for taking. Miles Briggs: I absolutely agree.”
“Too often, debates do not include the supporters of our young people—their parents and carers. Scottish Conservatives are concerned that the bill risks creating confusion and conflict, not only within families, with unclear safeguards around how— Jenny Gilruth: Will the member take an intervention? Miles Briggs: I will. Jenny Gilruth: I am interested in Mr Briggs’s point, because our approach maintains that only parents may initiate a withdrawal from RO or RME. Mr Briggs also mentioned conflict. However, as Together observed in its evidence to the committee, conflict already exists in the current system. Putting children’s rights into law and listening to them is a simple approach that balances calls from other stakeholders to go further and recognises the role of parents and carers.”
“The cabinet secretary opened her comments by saying that the issue is finely balanced and sensitive and that the Government has looked for a middle route. However, it is clear that, in some cases, there is no middle route. I think that many members who speak in this debate will find the bill difficult in that it does not deliver the middle route that the cabinet secretary has talked about. I thank the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee for its work, and I thank all those who gave evidence and the organisations that provided helpful briefings ahead of today’s stage 1 debate. I believe that it is important for children to have a say in their education, but any change must also respect the crucial role that parents and carers play in shaping their upbringing. We should never forget that.”
“I remind him that, in last year’s budget, we put in an extra funding uplift for teacher numbers to recognise inflationary increases to teacher pay. That would allow councils to go back to 2023 levels. From our modelling, which was published last year, we think that there are enough primary teachers in the system at the current time to deliver on reduced class contact. That is predicated on the 2023 numbers. The funding in last year’s budget allows local authorities to move forward at pace with the pilot; I look forward to working with them through the SNCT to get it up and running in advance of the election. The Presiding Officer: That concludes topical questions. Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1”
“The cabinet secretary says that it is important that the Government commits publicly. It committed publicly four and a half years ago in its manifesto, but it has not delivered on that promise. Last Friday, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Willie Rennie, Ross Greer and I attended the conference of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland, in Glasgow. I have to say that teachers are cynical about what the Government can or will deliver. When will the pilot project that the cabinet secretary announced report, and will it be before the election? Jenny Gilruth: On Mr Briggs’s final point, that would be my expectation. I was at the same conference and discussed the matter with all the attendees, probably before Mr Briggs arrived on Thursday. Mr Briggs asked about how the pilot project might be delivered.”
“For me, he is an example of where we should be. On world pancreatic cancer day, let us honour those whom we have lost, thank those who are still fighting and pledge to do the very best that we can to ensure a brighter future so that those who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will be able to seek treatment and tackle their cancer. 13:01”
“That call for action has been heard from campaigners for some time and if, as I hope we do, we see that progress, it will very much be down to their hard work. Scotland has done a huge amount to ensure progress in tackling pancreatic cancer. We cannot forget that and we need to celebrate it. Although outcomes for patients might not be where we want them to be, we have made progress as a country. I will end on a point of hope. I often come into contact with our former MSP colleague John Scott. Last weekend, I met him on Saturday in Stranraer. He was bouncing around my colleague’s constituency delivering leaflets. John is an example of what I pray and hope that we will all see: a case in which cancer is detected early, it is treated and the person goes on to have good life expectancy and outcomes.”
“There is a real call to ensure that the Scottish Government supports the national HPB pathway—a national approach that aligns closely with the new cancer action plan for 2023-26. The commitment to invest in improving the pathway for less survivable cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer, is really important. I hope that we see that turnaround. The national model will ensure uniform care across all regions of our country, helping to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes across Scotland. Therefore, it is a real step forward. It is also hoped that that pathway will address Scotland’s record long cancer waiting times, on which we need to keep a focus as well. I urge ministers to support the implementation of the pathway to ensure that there is genuine progress on care targets.”
“Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers, with just 7 per cent of all patients surviving for five years or longer. In 2010, when Pancreatic Cancer Action was founded, the rate sat at just 3 per cent. Progress has been made, but not fast enough. Every one of us in Parliament wants that rate to improve, which is why so many members speak in the debate every year. Input and support from those with lived experience is crucial in helping us better understand pancreatic cancer. As we know, it is a fast-developing, devastating cancer that needs to be caught early. Last week, I co-chaired the Scottish cancer conference at the University of Strathclyde, alongside Jackie Baillie. I had a number of interesting conversations about pancreatic cancer that day.”
“I also put on record my thanks to Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland and the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce for their hard work and the briefings that they provided ahead of the debate. Today is world pancreatic cancer day 2025. As many of us are aware, pancreatic cancer is one of the six less survivable cancers on which action is still greatly needed to improve outcomes. Less survivable cancers—those of the brain, liver, lung, stomach, oesophagus and pancreas—account for around a quarter of all cancer diagnoses in Scotland, affecting more than 9,000 people a year. That is not an insignificant number. However, in spite of that, the prognosis for those cancers has not improved in the way that we would want—the average five-year survival rate still sits at just 16 per cent.”
“I thank Clare Adamson for securing the debate once again this year. I sometimes wonder where the year goes between these debates. This has become an annual debate and I hope that that continues to be the case in the next session of Parliament, because these debates are important. As co-convener of the cross-party group on cancer, I thank the many campaigners who have joined us in the public gallery, not just for joining us but for their advocacy on the issue over many years. Like so many of us, they have had friends and family members who have been devastated by pancreatic cancer, which is what drives their desire for not only life-saving but life-improving healthcare for all those affected by the disease.”
“In Scotland, people living with chronic pain have been expressing concern that the Scottish national residential pain management programme, which is based in Glasgow and provides intense support to people from all over Scotland who live with chronic pain, will no longer be directly funded by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Parliament voted to create that national service and, since 2015, it has been free for all boards to refer patients to the programme, to help those who are living with chronic pain to self-manage. Will the First Minister investigate why that decision has been taken and why boards will now be forced to pay to refer patients to the service? Will it be a national service for people who live with chronic pain, wherever they live in Scotland?”
“We must have a situation in which pupils are required to take responsibility for their actions; in which any violence in our schools is not tolerated; and in which the option of exclusion is available for teachers to take as a last resort, if they need to, with the support of this Parliament and the cabinet secretary. Ministers have acknowledged that the rise in violence and abuse in our schools must be addressed. On Friday, along with the cabinet secretary, I attended the School Leaders Scotland conference. I was struck by the conversations that I had with teachers about the fact that technology and bullying are at the heart of their concerns. Although the First Minister has told us that work is being done on the issue, school leaders want the Government to provide leadership on what they should be doing. A ban on social media—”
“Scotland’s classrooms are now the most violent in the UK: between March 2014 and 2024, there were 490 reports of serious injuries to school staff in Scotland caused by violence. Adjusted for population, that rate is higher than the rate in England and Wales. So, we have a problem, and we need to ensure that, rather than burying our heads in the sand, we look for solutions. I hope that the cabinet secretary will listen to those of us who have raised the issue. In the debates that we led on the subject, we asked for a clear national policy on consequences. The cabinet secretary said that such a policy would be provided in the guidance.”
“We have seen a movement from the Scottish Government in the past year to recognise that we have a problem in our classrooms and that violence in our classrooms is something that we cannot just hope is not happening. The number of teachers has decreased by almost 1,700 over the time that this Government has been in power. I think that that is because of the school environment. The number of post- probation teachers who find full-time employment has decreased and there has been a huge increase in the number of days that have been lost because of teachers in our school workplaces having poor mental health. More than 30 per cent of pupils are missing more than 10 per cent of their school learning because of that.”
“I start on a positive note by thanking the Labour Party for sponsoring a debate on education. It is important that we have those; in January, the Scottish Conservatives sponsored a similar debate about our school environments. I would return to the subject every week, because parents, pupils and teachers are telling us that the problems that are still happening in our schools must be addressed. I do not see that as a negative thing—I see it as what people are looking for the Parliament to do something about. In March, we secured a debate about ending violence in our schools. Maybe when the cabinet secretary is giving her closing speech, she can touch on some of this.”
“I do not think that the Government’s Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill will provide those opportunities, so I hope that all parties will send out a message from the Parliament that we need something bigger and better from the Government. We need to put our apprenticeships at the heart of our education system. 15:56”
“When they have a spark, we must consider how to give them opportunities for their future. We should have an apprenticeship plan and demand-led reform to meet the needs of businesses, to address the skills gap across many important sectors—almost every single sector in Edinburgh—and to support the jobs growth that we need in the east of Scotland. It is time for a vision for our college and skills sectors, and I hope that the next Parliament and the next Government will realise the potential of our college and apprenticeship sectors. Those sectors want to deliver, and we need to give them the opportunities now to do that.”
“It is a great example of what we should be doing to plan for and invest in the jobs of the future. The problem is that the college will have no extra credits for that facility and will therefore have to look to reduce the number of courses that are taken by its student body—including courses in hairdressing, which was mentioned earlier—in order to provide that opportunity. Ministers need to understand and review the delivery of those credits in order to meet the needs of our economy and to ensure that those institutions have opportunities to deliver. That is why Scottish Conservatives have made our proposals. I am a huge fan of school-college partnerships. We must look at where we can get our young people into training opportunities earlier—whether that is at age 14 or 15.”
“As ministers have said, the university sector is too big to fail, but I think that the college sector is too important to our economy to fail. Alex Rowley made important points about why that is. Recent reports from the Scottish Funding Council and Audit Scotland have highlighted the dire financial situation that our college sector is now operating in. It is the key to the ability to get on in life for many young people—especially those who are furthest removed from our education sector and the workplace. Claire Baker mentioned disabled people in that regard. Ministers have clearly not been able to ensure that the opportunities that colleges offer are available for everyone in our society. The minister mentioned the energy transition skills hub in Aberdeen’s North East Scotland College.”
“As Murdo Fraser said, the skills system is currently not meeting our economy’s needs. We need to be mindful of where we should be working collectively to make a change to achieve that. I do not think that the Government’s Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill will do that, which is why the Scottish Conservatives will work to amend it. We need transparency on the apprenticeship levy and annual reporting, so that we can see where that money is going. Our college sector is crying out for help. The Scottish Government and all parties need to hear that. Eleven institutions are not only reporting financial difficulty but clearly at a point of failure, and we need to collectively act on that.”
“On Monday, Russell Findlay and I visited Edinburgh College to tour its construction facility—the Minister for Higher and Further Education will know it well, as it is in his constituency. We met lots of young people, not just from Edinburgh but from East Lothian. In speaking to them, we could see the opportunity that they have finally been able to realise. I hope that, if they get the skills that they are there to learn, they will get the security that is provided by good jobs and will be able to get on with their lives. It was interesting to have conversations with young people who had a focus on exactly why they were there and who wanted to be there. The debate has addressed a number of aspects that relate to that. In his opening speech, Daniel Johnson touched on the jobs of the future and on planning for them.”
“Are ministers determined to help to increase the number of apprenticeships where we can, with the resource that we have, in order to meet the needs of the economy and to help our young people— and, crucially, those who are retraining—to learn and succeed? Yes, we are—that is a priority for us. I thank the member for raising an important point, on which I look forward to having further engagement with him, stakeholders and the business community. Poverty-related Attainment Gap (Local Authority Support) 6.”
“Ben Macpherson: On the apprenticeship levy and how the revenue from that is spent in Scotland relative to how it is spent in other parts of the UK, we need to consider the particular technicalities and nuanced arguments that have been set out to Parliament several times. I have relayed that to stakeholders, including members of the business community, in my tenure in this role so far. Engaging with employers on the apprenticeship levy and the provision of apprenticeships in Scotland is a key priority for me and the Government. Of course, we are delivering a record number of 25,000 modern apprenticeships. Is there more demand for apprenticeships in our economy and our society? Yes, there is.”
“Data from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs shows that, between 2020 and 2024, £875 million was raised by Scottish employers from the United Kingdom- wide apprenticeship levy, but research has found that, during the same period, Scottish National Party ministers spent just £704 million on apprenticeships. What investigation is the new minister implementing to find out what has happened to the £170 million that has not gone to apprenticeships, even though that is what the levy is meant to deliver? Will he look at how the greater transparency that is needed can be provided through the bills that are going through Parliament?”
“As I stated in my previous answer, and according to a Student Loans Company publication in June 2025, average student debt in Scotland is still the lowest in the UK, at around £17,990, compared with £53,010 in England. I take the point that we need to continue to consider how those loans are repaid, but every Scottish student starts on the basis of having less debt on average. Curriculum (Artificial Intelligence) 2.”
“What consideration has the minister given to equity within the current loan-based system? According to the 2024 London Economics report entitled “Examination of higher education fees and funding in Scotland”, under that system, graduates who learn earn less over their lifetime pay more back in interest than graduates who earn a lot more money—a situation which predominantly benefits men, to the detriment of less well-paid female graduates. Ben Macpherson: Miles Briggs raises points about debt that is accumulated through SAAS student loans. As I mentioned, as Scotland does not have tuition fees, such debt is much lower for students studying in Scotland than it is in other parts of the UK.”
“The debate, I hope, is about empowerment and for Parliament again to hear about the need not only to carry out more work to raise awareness but to advocate for change and investment in the data that can help to drive that— our research communities are desperate to be part of that work. The Scottish Government needs to take more action to ensure that we continue to improve data collection on metastatic cancers and that people who live with the condition are better supported, counted and empowered. 18:10”
“For many people who are living with secondary breast cancer, there has been significant and—I think that we need to say this—welcome progress to help them to access drug trials and plan for the next steps of their treatment. It has been remarkable to see how those whom I have known for the past 10 years while serving in Parliament have carried out research on and talked to their advisers about the medical advice in order to push forward for better and kinder treatments. The final word in Emma Harper’s motion is “empowered”, and my final word is on empowerment.”
“Make 2nds Count and Breast Cancer Now are clear that we need to see further progress in that key area, and I agree. I do not think that men who are living with secondary breast cancer have been discussed in the chamber very often. Approximately 40 men in Scotland are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. It is interesting to note that, according to research by the University of Aberdeen, the incidence of male breast cancer in Scotland increased between 1992 and 2017. That rising trend was most pronounced in the north of Scotland and in rural areas. We need to understand the data to help us to analyse why that is happening.”
“Both have done so much remarkable work to continue to meet the needs of people who are living with breast cancer. Jen Hardy went on to form and found Cancer Card, which is a cancer support directory that provides personalised support services. Lisa Fleming founded the House of Hope, which recently opened in the capital and is Scotland’s first bespoke support and wellbeing centre specifically for those who are affected by breast cancer. There is something remarkable about women in Edinburgh using their personal experience to drive change and improve the lives of others who are living with cancer. Jen Hardy and Lisa Fleming, like Maggie Keswick Jencks before them, have used their cancer diagnosis to help to improve the lives of other people. Clare Adamson eloquently outlined the need for better data to help to achieve that.”
“I remember the loving story that Emma Harper told about her sister, Buffy, in a previous debate. It is important that we take the opportunities to share such stories. Yesterday, alongside Jackie Baillie, I chaired the Scottish cancer conference at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Yet again, it was a successful conference that got me thinking about the amazing people who I have had the honour to meet as an MSP over the past decade serving in the Parliament. Two individuals who I take the opportunity to pay tribute to are Lisa Fleming and Jen Hardy. Both were at the heart of Make 2nds Count, which was founded in Edinburgh and has gone on to become a UK-wide charity that focuses on giving hope to women and men who are living with secondary metastatic breast cancer.”
“I, too, thank Emma Harper for securing the debate, and I welcome and thank those who have joined us in the public gallery. As I outlined in a previous debate that Emma Harper led, there cannot be anyone in the chamber who has not been touched by cancer and who does not have either their own cancer story to tell or that of a loved one, family or friend. In this session of the Parliament, we have been impacted by the death of our friend and colleague Christina McKelvie, as well as the cancer journeys of other colleagues—Edward Mountain and Ruth Maguire—as we were in the previous session by the situation of our friend and former colleague John Scott. It is important to acknowledge those things in any workplace. In my maiden speech, I shared my story of losing my mum to breast cancer when I was seven and she was 44.”
“I cannot imagine the challenge that is at play in those situations. There are significant adverse event review processes in place in the NHS across Scotland. As I said in my statement, I have written to all health board chief executives to set out my expectations regarding the speed, timeliness and robustness of those processes. As Miles Briggs has pointed to, I expect the task force to be able to look at some of those processes to ensure that it is informed about the actions that need to be taken, should they need to be taken.”
“Midwives in Edinburgh have told me that they often feel like they are landing planes, with expectant mothers being told to sit in car parks or to go home. In one case, an expectant mother told me about giving birth on a bathroom floor. That trauma meant that the family has decided not to have any more children. This seems to be happening too often. What reporting of such incidents will take place under the reviews that the cabinet secretary has outlined to ensure that the task force takes into consideration the situations that are often not being reported? Neil Gray: I absolutely recognise that a traumatic experience such as the one that Miles Briggs put on the record and the ones that were put on the record in the “Disclosure” programme can lead to families making very difficult choices about their family composition.”
“As well as appreciating my engagement with the Parliament so far, I welcome the positive engagement that I have had with Colleges Scotland, as the body that represents colleges. I had a really good visit to Kelvin College in Glasgow earlier this week. We need to have engagement with the college sector on sustainable funding, and we look forward to having that further engagement in the weeks and months ahead. I look forward to my next meeting with Colleges Scotland and discussing how we can collectively bring everyone with an interest round the table to ensure that we support our colleges and provide sustainable funding into the future. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, minister. We are going to need a little more brevity in responses. Energy Transition Skills and Qualifications (Aberdeen) 3.”
“The Audit Scotland report is not only a wake-up call for ministers; it should act as an alarm bell for them. Scotland’s colleges face a dire financial future under this Government. After a decade of dire public warnings from colleges and others about their future, what future funding models and new funding models will the Scottish Government bring forward to save our colleges? Ben Macpherson: Following the Audit Scotland report last week, and prior to that with regard to the Scottish Funding Council reports, we have collectively discussed in the Parliament, and at length, the importance of colleges as anchor institutions, which I mentioned earlier, and the roles that they play in enhancing skills, creating a fairer society and providing locally accessible learning facilities.”
“Any decision to place a child in secure accommodation is taken by the relevant decision makers, including the independent courts, children’s hearings, chief social work officers and secure accommodation providers. Mr Briggs asked me two questions. I am more than happy to look into the direct details of the case, because I am very concerned about what I am hearing. On the wider issue of housing services, I would be more than happy to discuss those issues directly with Mr Briggs after my statement.”
“What is clear from today’s statement is that secure accommodation capacity across our country remains completely unstable. I ask the minister two questions. First, will she personally intervene and investigate the failings in Callie Thomson’s case? Secondly, given the continuing pressure facing wider children and young people’s services, will the minister undertake a review of the inappropriate placement of young people in adult homelessness services and adult mental health services? Natalie Don-Innes: I cannot comment on individual cases, but I was very sorry to hear about that story. All children who are placed in care settings, including in secure accommodation, should expect to receive the highest standards of care. That includes when they leave secure accommodation, because we have pathways for that.”
“She has been directed to homelessness services—a 17-year-old is being placed in homeless accommodation with people who have recently been released from prison and people with substance abuse issues. Callie said: “I feel like I have been utterly abandoned, and nobody seems to care if I live or die.” The destination on discharge from secure placements was not mentioned in today’s statement, but I am deeply concerned at the picture that is emerging. I believe that this will be the next big scandal to face the Scottish Government and shows its failure to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our society. In 2024, 19 per cent of children were discharged with “other” recorded as their destination.”
“I thank the minister for advance sight of her statement. The Scottish Conservatives have consistently warned ministers that the situation on the ground in our secure accommodation sector was not sustainable. The minister’s statement demonstrates that the Scottish Government has failed to competently implement its policy to date, despite those warnings. At the weekend, a story was reported in the Sunday Post regarding a vulnerable Aberdeenshire teenager, Callie Thomson, who has been inappropriately placed in all four of Scotland’s secure units since the age of 14. Callie, who has just turned 17, has now been discharged from the Rossie secure unit without a care package in place.”
“Working with our college sector and businesses, we can meet our young people’s aspirations and deliver to tackle the shortages that our workforce and our economy face. I support Murdo Fraser’s motion. 16:32”
“There has been a 20 per cent cut in real-terms funding, and the loss of more than 100,000 places. Waiting lists are at record levels, and the credits system is in crisis. When councils try to deliver flexibility, they are not being given the opportunity to take on more students. The new net zero opportunities at North East Scotland College, which we have been told about at committee, will not see any more credit. The Government needs to look at how we can achieve more and how our college sector can deliver. Above all, we need a skills revolution in Scotland. That is why Scottish Conservatives are leading the debate for change. We want a significant increase of 10,000 in the number of modern apprenticeship places to boost economic growth, create jobs and allow businesses to expand.”
“As others have touched on, it is important that there is transparency on the spending of the apprenticeship levy here in Scotland. In recent weeks, the Scottish Government has been accused of raiding £171 million from that scheme, and SNP ministers have spent only £704 million of the £875 million that has been raised. Businesses are rightly asking where the rest of the money from the levy has gone and why we have not seen vital training opportunities delivered in Scotland. Michelle Ferguson, the director of CBI Scotland, has stated: “Businesses are paying in, but they are not seeing the return.” She added that “We need full transparency on how levy reserves raised in Scotland” are spent in Scotland. The SNP’s record on colleges is shameful. We need to admit that today, and I hope that the Government understands that.”