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From YouTube: Portfolio Questions - 29 October 2020
Description
Portfolio Questions
A
Good
afternoon,
everyone
can
I
remind
members
that
social
distancing
measures
are
in
place
across
the
chamber
and
the
hollywood
campus.
Please
take
care
to
observe
these
measures
over
the
course
of
this
afternoon's
business,
and
the
next
item
of
business
is
portfolio
questions
and
it's
on
education.
B
C
Presiding
officer
on
the
21st
of
october,
the
scottish
government
and
the
convention
of
scottish
local
authorities
published
a
joint
action
plan.
Accepting
the
recommendations
of
angela
morgan's
independent
review
of
additional
support
for
learning
at
its
heart
is
a
commitment
at
national
local
authority
and
school
level
to
actively
involve
and
listen
to
children,
young
people
and
their
families
in
decisions
that
affect
them.
We
will
seek
to
remove
any
remaining
barriers
and
consider
support
that
can
be
put
in
place
to
encourage
participation.
A
C
B
Thank
the
cabinet
secretary
for
that
answer.
Children
in
scotland's
inclusion
ambassadors
and
contributed
to
the
review
and
one
of
the
things
that
they
asked
was
if
the
recommendations
from
the
review
would
affect
their
own
experience
of
school,
bearing
in
mind
the
pandemic,
but
also
that
our
children,
young
people
are
in
school.
Can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary
when
the
young
people
who
contributed
will
see
change?
Please
john
swinney.
C
Scotland,
young
ambassadors
for
inclusion
has
been
very
effective
in
making
that
point
at
the
heart
of
angela
morgan's
review
and
I'm
certainly
committed
to,
and
I
know
that,
educators,
the
length
and
breadth
of
the
country
are
committed
to
making
sure
that
they
listen
carefully
to
the
voice
of
children
and
young
people,
and
I
would
expect
those
changes
to
be
felt
in
the
course
of
this
school
year.
But
obviously
the
review
in
october
2021
provides
us
with
the
opportunity
to
take
stock
on
the
progress
that
has
been
made.
D
Thank
you
deb
starting
off,
so
the
morgan
review
said
I
quote:
additional
support
for
learning
is
not
visible
or
equally
valued.
Within
scotland's
education
system,
not
all
young
people
who
need
support
are
being
supported
to
flourish
and
fulfill
their
potential
deputy
first
minister,
can
you
confirm
by
what
date
you
think
the
government
will
have
implemented
its
careful
recommendations
in
phil.
A
F
F
E
Thank
you,
minister,
for
the
answer.
I've
had
students
contact
me
who
have
been
forced
into
significant
hardship
due
to
delays
in
getting
their
staff
funding.
The
students
were
forced
to
apply
for
student
hardship
funds
with
some
applications
rejected
by
institutions
as
they
didn't
have
sas
award
letters
can
ask
three
specific
brief
points
to
the
minister.
What
progress
has
been
made
in
tackling
this
backlog
consortium
to
prioritize
students
who
may
be
in
the
most
precarious
financial
situations?
F
If
that
is
the
case,
I'll,
certainly
investigate
that,
because
we
have
to
make
sure
that's
addressed
that
particular
issue
due
to
the
uncertainty
with
the
pandemic
throughout
the
past
year,
or
so,
there
was
not
as
many
early
applications
to
sas.
Therefore,
they
built
up
a
bit
of
a
backlog,
because
many
of
the
applications
come
in
a
bit
later
than
usual.
F
However,
at
the
moment
they
have
now
determined
and
processed
and
processed
97
of
undergraduate
applications
have
been
received
and
sas
are
also
working
with
the
student
loans
company
to
make
sure
that
everything's
being
coordinated
to
make
sure
the
students
get
the
help
they
deserve.
But
I
thank
the
member
for
bringing
that
point
to
my
attention
and
I'll
investigate
that.
G
H
I
I
will
repeat
energy
products
which
will
provide
flexibility
for
oil
and
gas
and
offshore
wind
workers
to
pursue
opportunities
across
both
sectors.
I
also
welcome
the
ecitv
train
to
retain
team,
supporting
essential
skills
and
providing
long-term
opportunities
for
sustainable
employment,
including
the
attention
of
skills
to
support
a
net
zero
energy
transition
and
the
creation
of
the
energy
skills
alliance
for
creating
an
integrated,
all-energy,
clear
proposition
for
a
net
zero
energy
industry.
It's
crucial.
It's
a
sustainable
and
resilient
future
to
develop
for
those
who
work
in
the
energy
sector
supply
chain.
A
H
Thank
you
very
much.
I
hope
the
minister
would
agree
with
me
that
the
key
here
for
the
worker
is
that
if
the
worker
has
the
skills
and
qualifications
he
or
she
is
able
to
move
freely
between
the
oil
and
gas
and
offshore
renewable
sectors
in
both
directions
as
employment
opportunities
arise,
will
the
minister
undertake
to
work
to
ensure
that
employers,
in
all
the
offshore
energy
sectors,
support
that
principle
of
mutual
recognition
of
relevant
skills
and
qualifications.
I
That
is
a
principle
that
I
broadly
agree
with,
and
I
can,
through
miss
mcdonald,
the
oil
and
gas
and
energy
transitions
to
the
leadership
group,
which
is
chaired
by
it.
Paul
wheelhouse
is
refocused
in
april
and
is
a
meeting
monthly
to
identify
practical
actions
to
support
the
sector
and
its
workforce
and
that'll
be
one
such
issue.
It
can
explore.
J
C
The
scottish
government
fully
recognises
that
young
people
are
rights
holders
and
key
stakeholders
within
the
education
system.
In
line
with
the
priestly
review
recommendations,
we've
asked
the
sqa
to
review
the
appeal
system
for
national
qualifications
in
a
fair
and
transparent
way.
The
sk
will
conduct
this
review
working
closely
with
key
stakeholders,
including
learners
and
their
representative
groups,
to
ensure
it
best
meets
young
people's
needs.
J
I
thank
the
cabinet
secretary
for
that
response.
I've
been
corresponding
with
a
constituent
whose
son
was
unable
to
attend
full-time
schooling
for
over
a
year
due
to
a
disability.
My
constituent
son
received
independent
tuition
and
self-studied
throughout
this
period.
However,
when
it
came
to
the
submission
of
estimated
grades
to
the
sqa,
his
school
submitted
those
estimated
grades
without
consultation
with
the
independent
tutors,
who
were
best
placed
to
assess
his
progress.
J
My
constituent
and
the
tutors
disagreed
with
the
estimated
grades
submitted
by
the
school,
but
they've
been
unable
to
appeal
those
directly
to
the
sqa,
because
only
schools
can
do
so.
Can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary:
does
he
recognize
that
there
are
exceptional
circumstances
in
which
the
existing
sqa
appeals
system
doesn't
work?
And
what
advice
can
he
give
to
my
constituent
and
and
others
who
find
themselves
in
similar
exceptional
circumstances?.
C
John
swinney,
there
is
provision
within
the
existing
arrangements
for
exceptional
circumstances
to
be
considered,
and
obviously
mr
locker
raises
fairly
with
me
a
set
of
circumstances
that,
on
the
face
of
it,
appear
to
to
to
to
be.
In
those
circumstances,
I'm
very
happy
to
consider
the
the
case
that
mr
lockhart
has
raised
with
me.
K
C
John
swinney,
I
think
there
is
a
there's,
a
pretty
fundamental
point
in
the
the
heart
of
mr
johnson's
question,
which
is
where
the
initiation
of
an
appeal
should
lie.
Should
that
lie
with
the
candidate
or
should
that
lie
with
the
with
individual
schools?
Up
until
now,
we
have
always
followed
the
approach
that
that
should
rest
with
schools.
C
C
Presenting
office
of
the
safety,
health
and
well-being
of
teachers
and
other
staff
is
of
paramount
importance
and
any
teacher
who
has
symptoms
of
covert
19
should
book
a
test
through
the
national
health
service
inform
portal.
In
addition,
if
a
teacher
or
other
essential
staff
member
within
a
school
setting
does
not
have
symptoms,
but
is
worried
about
their
circumstances,
they
are
able
to
book
a
test
through
their
employer.
Our
guidance
for
schools,
developed
with
the
education
recovery
group,
sets
out
clearly
the
mitigations
that
should
be
in
place
to
ensure
schools
are
safe,
open
and
welcoming.
L
I'm
grateful
to
the
cabinet
secretary
for
the
answer.
The
president
journal
reported
last
week
that
aberdeen
charged
schools
are
recording
240
coronavirus
related
absences
each
week
now
to
protect
teachers.
Aberdeenshire
council
implemented
implemented
mitigations,
including
enhanced
cleaning
routines,
but
it's
warned
that
the
resources
needed
are
stretched,
especially
in
rural
areas.
It's
having
to
take
urgent
remedial
action,
so
the
council
needs
help
and
resource
urgently
to
continue
to
keep
teachers
and
our
kids
safe.
So
will
the
scottish
government
provide
it?
John
swinney.
M
C
Swinney
president
officer,
the
the
recovery
group's
guidance
and
is
very
clear
that
there
are
a
range
of
measures
that
should
be
undertaken
within
individual
schools
routinely
to
ensure
that
they
are
safe
within
the
covert
environment
and
obviously,
in
all
circumstances
they
should
be
applied
to
ensure
our
schools
are
safe.
Regardless
of
the
level
at
which
a
local
authority
is
placed.
C
Obviously,
when
we
consider
schools
in
north
and
south
atlanta
and
north
lancashire
and
in
connection
with
mr
lyle's
constituency,
they
are
going
to
be
in
level
three
and
the
guidance
is
very
clear
about
the
steps
that
need
to
be
taken
to
support
education
in
that
context,
and
we
do
hope
that
we
avoid
a
situation
for
north
lancashire
has
to
move
into
level.
Four
and
I've
appreciated
my
dialogue
with
the
local
authority
in
the
last
few
days
about
the
steps
that
they
have
committed
to
take
to
ensure
that
that
is
the
case.
N
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
There
have
been
reports
of
some
local
authorities
forcing
forcing
vulnerable
staff
to
come
to
work
even
when
they
don't
feel
safe.
The
education
secretary
will
be
aware
of
my
proposal
to
import
the
danish
model
for
keeping
vulnerable
teachers
safe
by
making
doctor's
advice
on
working
arrangements
mandatory.
Will
the
scottish
government
take
this
forward?
C
In
addition
to
that,
the
answer
that
I
gave
originally
to
mr
care
in
his
question
indicated
that
there
is
testing
opportunities
available
for
staff
should
they
wish
to.
Even
if
they
do
not
have
symptoms,
and
I
would
encourage
them
to
take
up
those
off
those
opportunities
if
they
think
it
would
be
appropriate.
I
In
scotland
we
don't
hold
a
training
provider
register,
however,
skills
develop
in
scotland's
contract
annually
for
modern
foundation.
Apprenticeships
the
employability
fund
through
the
year
bids
from
training
providers
can
be
submitted
through
the
public
contract
department
website.
Sds
are
currently
inviting
bids
from
training
providers
for
modern
apprenticeship
starts.
This
procurement
was
opened
in
the
15th
of
october
and
will
close
in
the
16th
of
october
2020.
O
I
thank
the
minister
that
answer
what
we
did
here
of
it
and
my
register
of
interest
now
professional
drone
training
limited
in
my
constituency
is
a
recognized
assessment
entity
authorized
by
the
civil
aviation
authority,
but
not
by
skills
development,
scotland
and
was
told
there
were
no
plans
to
reopen
the
register
sds
instead
was
sending
people
to
be
trained
in
devon,
leading
to
further
expenses
of
travel
and
accommodation
simultaneously
failing
to
support
scottish
jobs.
So
what
confidence
can
we
have
in?
I
Well,
I'm
sorry
if
people
can't
hear
my
answer,
because
what
I
did
say
in
the
initial
answer,
the
contrary
to
any
training
provider
being
told
that
the
register
is
closed.
We
don't
have
a
paying
provider
register,
there's
a
process
of
putting
in
place
contracts.
If
mr
burnett
wants
to
write
to
me
with
those
specific
details,
I'll
be
happy
to
explore
the
issue
with
sds,
if
there
is
demand
for
specific
training,
my
expectation
is
the
sds
explore
that
and
look
at
it
seriously.
So
if
he
gives
me
information
I'll
be
happy
to
look
into
it
further.
A
M
M
I
thank
cabinet
secretary
for
answering
a
meeting
that
christine
still
an
education
officer
for
shulman's
guild
scotland
and
I
had
with
you
cabinet
secretary.
You
agreed
to
raise
this
matter
with
local
councils,
and
I
know
you
did
glasgow
city
council,
however,
seems
not
to
be
taking
this
on
board.
Can
I
ask
you
that
you
raise
this
again
with
them
and
send
out
further
guidance
to
all
councils
in
scotland
to
address
the
views
of
the
scottish
section
of
shulman's
guild
scotland.
C
President,
tackling
the
poverty-related
attainment
gap
is
the
critical
priority
of
this
government,
and
that
is
why
we've
committed
over
750
million
pounds
to
the
attainment
scotland
fund
are
con
and
are
continuing
this
scottish
attainment
challenge
into
2021-22
and
we
are
making
progress
on
closing
the
attainment
gap.
The
attainment
scotland
fund
year
for
evaluation
reported
that
the
attainment
gap
narrowed
and
a
number
of
indicators
and
91
of
head
teachers
reported
improvements
in
closing
the
attainment
gap
as
a
result
of
scottish
attainment
challenge,
supported
approaches.
P
The
skills
exam
fiasco
showed
the
entrenched
nature
of
education
and
equality
and
signed
off
a
system
that
had
discrimination
by
social
class
at
its
core,
bearing
for
all
to
see
the
educational
attainment
gap.
So
can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary,
where
is
the
big,
substantial
intervention
to
end
the
scandal
of
educational
inequality
in
scotland?.
C
Well,
I
I,
I
would
contend
presiding
officer
that
that
is
the
scottish
attainment
challenge,
which
is
a
750
million
pound
commitment,
which
has
now
been
taken
forward
in
every
locality
in
the
country
to
tackle
the
poverty-related
attainment
gap.
And
I
would
encourage
mr
finley
to
take
heart
and
encouragement
from
the
fact
that
our
education
system
sees
this
as
an
absolutely
central
priority
and
a
focus
of
their
activity.
Mr
finley,
and
I
am
also
certain-
will
be
able
to
agree
that
the
issues
that
drive
the
poverty-related
attainment
gap
are
not
just
about
issues
within
our
schools.
C
They
are
about
wider
issues
which
are
influenced
by
some
of
the
damaging
decisions
that
are
taken
in
relation
to
welfare,
employment
and
we
are
currently
experiencing
and
wrestling
with
some
of
these
challenges
as
a
consequence
of
covert
and
the
economic
disruption
that
is
taking
place.
So
our
schools
will
do
a
phenomenal
amount
of
activity
to
try
to
close
the
gap.
But
we
also
have
to
recognize
that
our
wider
policy
choices
made
by
the
united
kingdom
government
that
are
changing
the
the
landscape
of
our
country
in
relation
to
poverty.
And
we
have
to
tackle
that.
Q
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
Can
I
ask
the
cabinet
secretary
what
the
scottish
government's
response
is
to
the
2019
head
teachers
survey,
where
nine
out
of
10
head
teachers
said
that
the
attainment
scotland
fund
is
making
an
impact
in
closing
the
poverty
related
attainment
gap
and
that
98
of
teachers
expect
to
see
improvement
in
closing
the
gap
over
the
next
five
years.