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From YouTube: Debate: That the Parliament notes public petition PE1319 on improving youth football in Scotland.
Description
S5M-07801 Johann Lamont on behalf of the Public Petitions Committee: PE1319 on
Improving Youth Football in Scotland—That the Parliament notes public petition PE1319 on
improving youth football in Scotland.
Published by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.
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A
A
C
You
very
much
presiding
officer,
I'm
pleased
and
privileged
to
openness,
to
be
in
behalf
of
the
public
petitions
committee
and
to
move
the
motion
in
my
name.
The
committee
will
be
considering
a
report
and
its
what
around
petition
one
city,
one
nine
in
due
course,
and
we
felt
it
would
be
useful
and
important
to
her-
afford
the
Parliament
as
a
whole.
The
opportunity
to
be
part
of
this
debate
and
indeed
to
contribute
any
comments
or
suggestions
about
the
current
position,
youth
football
in
Scotland
and
how
the
improvement
cold
four
can
be
delivered.
C
The
petition
on
improving
his
football
in
Scotland
is
the
longest-running
petition
currently
being
considered
by
the
public
petitions
committee.
The
fact
has
been
under
consideration
for
so
long
and
has
been
kept
open
across
three
sessions
of
the
Parliament
indicates
how
seriously
we
take
the
issues
that
have
been
raised.
C
It's
evident
that
committee
members
over
the
long
periods
have
been
exercised
by
a
desire
to
ensure
that
youth
football
not
only
produces
the
stars
of
the
future,
but
also
provides
opportunities
for
young
people
simply
to
enjoy
the
sport
for
young
people
to
be
at
the
center
of
youth
football.
But
not
a
by-product
simply
of
commercial
interests.
We
all
know
that
football
for
good
or
ill
holds
a
special
place
in
our
society.
Those
were
the
talent,
ambition
and
commitment
to
achieve
success.
A
professional
level
should
be
supported
to
realize
their
goals.
C
Robertson
Willie
Smith,
both
Scott
and
Rolly,
should
be
commended
on
his
commitment
and
dedication
to
youth
football.
This
is
evidenced
in
part
by
the
continued
engagement,
indeed,
ney
persistence
with
the
petitions
process,
but
also
by
the
years
of
their
time
they
have
given
to
sustaining
youth
football,
a
local
level
and
their
there.
C
That
could
be
positive,
and
examples
of
these
steps
includes
the
introduction
of
a
standard
Park
for
all
players
in
relation
to
registration.
The
clarification
that
young
people
registered
with
the
football
academies
can
continue
to
play
for
the
school
team
and
introduction
of
staff
to
support
child
well-being
and
protection.
We
remain
concerned,
however,
then,
balancing
up
the
various
interests
that
at
play,
the
system
as
it's
currently
established,
does
not
always
ensure
that
the
interests
of
children
and
young
people
are
absolutely
central
as
we
believe
they
must
be
members.
C
Well,
perhaps
forgive
me
if
I
comment
that,
given
the
success
of
the
senior
Scottish
women's
team
in
its
recent
qualification
for
the
2017
European
Championship
Tournament,
we
would
hope
that
whatever
the
future
for
the
regulation
of
youth
football
plans
are
put
in
place
will
also
allow
a
comparable
investment
elite
level,
journalist
football
as
well
as
boys
football.
Now
there
are
three
issues
of
particular
concern.
C
Current
concerns,
the
committee
by
which
highlights
the
registration
period
for
players
in
a
15
to
17
year,
age
group,
the
payment
of
compensation
costs
and
the
question
of
appropriate
payment
of
the
minimum
wage
to
young
players.
Currently,
players
in
the
15
to
17
year
age
group
are
signed
for
a
three-year
registration
period.
This
differs
from
the
10
to
14
year
age
group,
where
registration
is
on
an
annual
basis.
Concern
has
been
expressed
by
the
footballing
authorities.
C
A
shorter
registration
period
in
this
age
group
may
result
in
English
clubs
seeking
to
recruit
players
to
the
detriment
of
clubs
and
educational
and
found
the
life
of
young
players.
A
question
that
we
have
asked
on
a
number
of
occasions
is
why
the
best
interests
and
well-being
of
a
child
or
young
person
is
a
matter
that
should
be
for
football
systems
to
determine
rather
than
the
parents
and
guardians
of
the
young
people
concerned,
or
indeed
the
young
people
themselves.
Within
the
3-year
period.
C
C
What
has
been
suggested
by
a
number
of
organizations
is
a
fairer
system
will
be
one
in
which
the
compensation
payment
was
made
only
at
the
point
a
player
signs
his
first
professional
contract.
Our
understanding
is
that
a
compensation
system
operated
in
this
way
would
be
compliant
with
the
FIFA
rules.
The
committee
is
clear
that
the
issue
of
registration
has
not
been
conflated
with
issue
of
professional
contracts
that
may
be
signed
by
players
aged
16
and
over.
C
However,
the
terms
of
registration,
the
current
compensation
system
are,
in
our
view,
Anjali
restrictive
and
players,
and
should
be
changed
on
the
issue
of
contracts.
One
issue
to
which
we
have
recently
given
consideration
is
the
payment
of
minimum
is
the
issue
of
minimum
wage
payments.
Why
all
this
issue
is
not
explicitly
addressed
in
the
petition.
It
is
another
element
where
concern
has
been
expressed
through
the
committee
about
approach
taken
by
football
authorities.
Minimum
wage
is
a
legal
requirement
which
there
cannot
be
any
equivocation
in
evidence
to
the
committee.
C
The
footballing
authorities
are
say
out
their
position
as
to
why
it
may
not
to
be
immediately
clear
what
payments
are
made
to
a
player
and
how
many
hours
they
may
be
required
to
what.
Against
this.
There
have
been
numerous
submissions
which
have
referred
to
contracts
which
give
a
figure
of
a
pound
a
week
as
payment
due
to
player.
We've
also
discussions
about
what
may
and
may
not
be
involved
in
a
calculation
of
hours
worked
by
a
player
and
what
other
payments
may
mean
that
overall,
an
individual
was
being
paid
at
least
the
minimum
wage.
C
They
have
taken
an
approach
that,
in
considering
any
cases,
their
main
focus
has
been
on
ensuring
that
any
player
receives
what
should
have
been
due
to
them.
I
also
know
that
a
change
in
approach
has
been
discussed,
which
would
enable
the
football
authorities
to
enforce
a
penalty
against
a
club
found
not
to
be
in
compliance
with
minimum
wage
requirements.
C
Don't
think
that
is
the
case,
and
indeed
we
are
looking
forward
to
the
visits
we,
as
the
committee
members
will
soon
be
meeting
to
clobber
a
part
of
the
Khan
Academy
system.
However,
we
are
concerned
that
the
design
of
the
system
is
not
as
robust
as
it
could
be
to
best
serve
the
welfare
of
the
children
and
young
people
concerned.
Recently,
the
committee's
consideration
of
the
petition
has
been
taking
place
against
the
backdrop
of
project
brief.
The
SFA's
proposals
to
overhaul
the
youth
academies
system
in
Scotland.
C
One
of
the
proposals
within
the
project
brief
initiative
is
to
reduce
the
number
of
boys
in
the
Elite
Academy
system
from
two
and
a
half
thousand
to
twelve
hundred
in
announcing
project
brave
and
intention
to
reduce
the
number
of
elite
academies.
The
SFA
noted
that
Scotland
at
9le
academies
for
a
population
of
just
over
five
and
a
half
million.
C
This
was
compared
to
the
German
system,
which
has
54
academies
for
a
population
of
over
83
million,
and
while
we
understand
that
there
will
be
ongoing
what
current
proposals
encompassed
within
project
brief,
we
hope
that
can
be
seen
as
an
opportunity
to
address
the
issues
raised
by
the
petition.
So
the
rights
and
well-being
of
the
children
and
young
people
concerned
are
firmly
recognized
and
protected.
We
are
clear
that
for
Scottish
football
to
thrive,
an
attitudinal
shift
is
required.
C
There
would
be
merit
and
given
these
new
measures,
some
time
to
take
effect
before
considering
whether
any
further
action
may
be
required.
At
that
time,
the
minister
indicated
that
she
would
continue
to
work
with
mr.
Bailey
and
was
not
caught
ruling
out
external
regulation,
but
we
prefer
to
assess
the
effectiveness
of
the
voluntary
steps
the
Scottish,
Fe
and
SPFL
are
put
in
place.
C
First,
in
a
further
lettering
of
August
2016,
the
minister
stated
the
Scottish
Government
will
continue
to
monitor
these
new
measures
and
we'd
be
happy
to
discuss
with
the
public
petitions
committee
and
other
stakeholders,
including
the
children
and
young
people's
Commission
in
Scotland,
how
we
can
provide
appropriate
oversight
to
ensure
the
human
rights
of
children
and
young
people
are
reflected.
Mr.
Bailey's
thinking
on
the
issue
is
well
summarised
in
his
letter
of
July
2016
to
the
committee
in
which
he
stated.
C
My
overall
impression
is
that
they
have
gone
as
far
as
they're
prepared
to
go
are
able
to
do
so
with
only
a
governing
structures.
This
is
not
a
matter
of
giving
new
measure
some
time
to
take
effect,
as
suggested
by
the
Scottish
government,
but
more
facing
up
to
the
fact
that
for
real
change
to
occur,
external
regulation
has
to
be
imposed
on
bodies
which,
to
my
mind,
are
either
unwilling
or
in
capable
of
taking
appropriate
action
to
safeguard
the
rights
of
children.
C
I
hope
that
the
debate
did
he
will
afford
the
minister
the
chance
to
offer
some
of
her
assessment
of
whether
further
action
may
now
be
merited.
I
would
be
interesting
what
our
timetable
is.
Our
time
scale
is
for
establishing
whether
the
voluntary
action
is
effective
and
recognize
and
understand
the
scale
of
anxiety
that
has
been
expressed
by
many
people
around
youth
football
about
the
way
in
which
matters
are
currently
and
conducted.
C
I
think
this
is
an
essential
debate
and
important
to
beat
the
petition
is
driven
by
desire
to
sustain
youth
football
to
ensure
that,
in
its
governance
and
its
financial
dealings,
it
is
fair
to
all
concerned
and
I
believe
that
it
is
important
in
relation
to
establish
an
appropriate
for
young
people
who
find
themselves
and
in
the
youth
football
in
models
that
they
aren't
exploited
and
the
inner
farmers
can
have
confidence
in
a
system.
That's
round
about
him.
I
welcome
this
debate
and
further
interest
of
the
Parliament
in
the
work
of
the
public
petitions
committee.
D
You,
presiding
officer
and
I
want
to
start
also
by
thanking
the
public
petitions
committee
for
their
work
on
this
and
importantly,
pay
tribute
like
Jo
Ann
Lama
dead
to
Willie
Smith
and
Scott
Robertson
Scott,
who
has
since
become
a
constituent
of
mine
from
real
grassroots.
We
have
shown
great
tenacity,
determination
and
have
been
driven
by
a
desire
to
do
the
very
best
and
ensure
the
very
best
for
young
people
in
Scotland,
and
that
motivation
is
something
that's
shared
by
us
all.
D
We
each
want
to
see
young
people
flourish
to
have
opportunity
and
to
be
happy
in
what
they
choose
to
do
in
their
future.
We
also
want
to
create
a
country
and
culture
that
respects
the
rights
of
children
and
supports
their
well-being.
The
programme
for
government
made
clear
that
we
would
seek
to
audit
the
most
effective
and
practical
way
to
further
embed
the
principles
of
the
UN
CRC
into
policy
and
legislation,
including
exploring
the
option
of
fuel
incorporation,
presiding
officers.
This
is
a
very
clear
and
explicit
commitment
to
furthering
children's
rights
and
Scotland.
D
Article
4
of
the
UN
CRC
makes
clear
that
governments
have
duty
to
do
all
they
can
to
ensure
every
child
can
enjoy
the
race
and
by
creating
systems
and
passing
laws
to
do
this,
and
that
each
of
those
rights
must
be
felt
across
all
aspects
of
life,
including
sports
and
football.
This
petition
has
been
considered
by
Parliament
for
seven
years
as
generated
passionate
to
be
and
discussion
much
like
the
beautiful
game
itself.
D
Football
excites
and
it
disappoints,
is
our
national
game
and
as
fans,
we
feel
every
debt
and
turn
and
emotional
roller
coaster
that
it
creates.
Last
week
in
this
chamber,
we
pleased
Hibernians
game-changer
program,
welcomed
a
flourishing
development
of
LGBTI
fan
groups
and
have
celebrated
past
sporting
achievements
and
the
work
of
football.
Just
this
week
we
fully
deliberate
the
improvements
they'll
required
to
deliver
the
positive
change
that
we
seek
in
this
petition.
D
Julia's
life,
aided
by
the
Children's
Commissioner
and
a
huge
amount
of
perseverance,
has
influenced
football
authorities
to
make
conceptual
changes,
and
we
must
recognize
this.
These
changes
are
welcome.
This
has
been
acknowledged
by
the
waying
Commissioner,
although
I
recognize
they
do
not
address
all
concerns.
The
SFA
have
sought
the
views
of
children
and
young
people
to
incorporate
this
voice
in
their
work,
and
there
is
a
commitment
to
provide
more
information.
The
SFA
has
also
appointed
a
safeguarding
manager
dedicated
to
the
area
of
children's
well-being.
D
The
SFA
has
established
a
young
Congress
to
help
the
views
of
young
people
shape
as
activity,
and
this
work
is
also
a
way
to
form
a
partnership
with
UNICEF
the
only
football
governing
body
in
the
world
to
have
such
a
tile.
Young
person's
well-being
panel
has
been
established
to
assist
with
issues
between
clubs
and
players
within
club
academies.
Scotland
clubs
will
commit
to
a
player
for
a
minimum
of
one
year.
The
28-day
rule
will
allow
players
with
professional
clubs
to
exercise
notice
and
leave
the
club
to
return
to
recreational
football.
D
The
gametime
rule
has
been
introduced
allowing
players
to
leave
if
they
do
not
play
25
percent
game
time
with
their
club
because
they
know
so.
This
package
of
measures
represents
an
encouraging
state
forward
from
where
we
were
when
this
issue
first
came
before
the
committee
in
April
2010.
However,
why
all
these
changes
are
encouraging,
we
cannot
be
complacent
and
the
impact
of
these
changes
will
require
vigilant
examination
to
ensure
effectiveness.
D
It
will
also
require
collective
effort
to
meaningfully
affect,
in
order
to
identify
further
room
for
improvement
and
to
act
accordingly,
and
that
work
must
be
done
in
partnership
between
our
governing
bodies,
Parliament
government
and
others
to
ensure
that
we
chef
the
discussion
and
her
space.
That
is
positive
about
the
changes
being
made
and
to
develop
a
play.
That
is
our
national
games.
They
contribute
the
forefront
of
children
and
young
people's
well-being
and
I'm
optimistic
about
their
semi
original
offer
of
her
own
table
discussion.
D
Our
set
item
a
lesser
to
the
day
in
Children's
Commissioner
last,
the
same
brush
still
stands
till
I
was
to
consider
the
best
way
to
proceed,
and
then,
amongst
the
remaining
concerns
expressed
by
the
petitioners
and
others,
is
the
issue
of
the
potential
one-sided
nature
of
the
arrangements
between
young
players
and
clubs.
The
former
Children's
Commissioner
described
a
power
imbalance
in
January
2017,
and
this
has
been
a
recurring
theme
sense
because,
subject
to
some
caveats,
a
young
player
can
still
be
held
to
the
registration
at
the
mercy
of
their
club.
D
We
need
to
ensure
that
the
balance
is
right
under
SFA
procedures,
a
player
whose
age,
10
or
above
may
be
registered
as
a
youth
player
by
professional
club.
The
registration
of
a
youth
player
for
age
groups,
10
to
3
to
14
lapses
automatically
at
the
end
of
each
season,
and
the
player
is
free
to
sign
and
for
another
club
thereafter.
D
However,
the
registration
of
a
youth
player
for
the
age
group
15
allows
a
club
to
extend
the
players
registration
forward
to
age
group
16
for
the
following
season,
and
this
can
happen
again
at
age
group
16.
Although
the
football
authorities
have
made
concessions
the
key
issue
as
there,
as
is
that
it
is
the
club
not
the
child's
that
contaminate
the
registration
at
any
time,
and
while
the
language
around
this
can
be
a
motive.
Clubs
do
make
a
significant
investment
and
development
of
young
players.
This
registration
system
means
clubs
receive
compensation.
D
Should
the
child
move
to
another
club
with
the
club
Academy
Scotland
set
up
again,
however,
we
need
to
ensure
the
appropriate
checks
and
balances
are
in
place,
given
the
unique
place
and
rights,
children
and
young
people
have
in
society.
The
petitioners
also
highlight
his
cases
of
SPFL
clubs,
not
playing
appearing
sorry,
young
players
at
the
national
minimum
wage
and
following
less
the
SPFL
chief
Milton
caster
announced
on
the
31st
of
January,
the
SPFL
would
toughen
the
league's
approach
to
ensure
all
pubs.
D
We
pay
their
players,
at
least
at
least
the
national
minimum
wage,
and
we
understand
that
all
clubs
concerned
have
now
addressed
this
issue
and,
while
the
national
minimum
wage
as
a
reserved
issue,
we
are
clear
that
all
clubs
must
meet
the
legal
obligations
saying
office
of
thousands
of
children
enjoy
football.
Maybe
boy
is
one
of
them
and,
like
many
other
children
has
each
deems
of
scoring
a
cup
final
goal
at
Hampden
or
pulling
on
a
Scotland
shot.
D
However,
not
every
child
will
become
a
professional
star,
but
regardless
of
whether
the
individual
child
simply
enjoys
playing
foot,
has
a
hard
local
team
or
is
potentially
the
next
danis
law
or
Joe
Murphy.
What
unites
them
is
their
inalienable
rights
as
children.
The
well-being
of
children
should
be
the
main
consideration
for
us
all.
We
must
recognize
that
Club
Academy
Scotland
as
aimed
at
developing
the
elite
footballers
of
tomorrow.
It
can't
be
done
without
sacrifice
without
determination
and
without
coaching.
D
However,
the
pursuit
of
excellence
and
ensuring
a
child's
well-being
are
not
mutually
exclusive
and
I
believe
a
system
can
be
devised
which
absolutely
safeguards
the
child's
welfare,
while
encouraging
the
clubs
to
invest
in
developing
the
next
generation
of
elite.
Scottish
footballers
working
with
s
Parliament
and
with
the
committee
and
with
the
Commissioner
of
the
petitioners
under
the
clubs
and
the
football
authorities,
and
using
the
opportunities
of
a
project,
brave
and
others
I
believe
that
we
can
find
the
right
balance.
A
C
That
I
recognized
that
the
maybea
need
for
regulation
at
a
later
stage,
and
you
would
want
to
assess
the
effectiveness
the
proposals
have
been
developed
asked
if
you
have
a
time
scale
for
that,
because
I
think
that
would
give
people
reassurance
that
there
wasn't
simply
an
open
situation.
This
things
are
going
to
go
on
as
they
are.
If
you
were
to
consider
regulation
at
what
point
will
you
meet
that
assessment
to
decide
whether
voluntary
action
by
the
regulatory
bodies
has
been
sufficient?
Mr.
A
D
D
Just
very
salty
it
just
known
may
come
back
to
this,
then
my
closing
remarks
as
well
that
we
will
reflect
a
on
the
reach
of
our
programme
for
governments
come
up
into
the
year.
I've
also
asked
my
officials
to
discuss
these
issues
further
with
UEFA,
to
make
clear
our
overarching
interests
as
the
well-being
of
children
and
to
explore
with
them.
That
issue
I'll
continue
to
keep
the
public
petitions
a
committee
informed
of
that
work
and
happy
to
a
further
expand
on
that
as
I
make
my
closing
remarks,
but
certainly
it
is
something
that
we'll
have.
D
We
went
to
continue
to
engage
the
offer
of
our
own
table
to
explore.
The
effectiveness
of
the
changes
so
far
has
been
made.
We'll
continue
to
work
with
yourselves
and
the
authorities
to
progress
with
that,
to
assess
the
effectiveness
and
again
keep
the
committee
updated
or
in
our
work,
with
UEFA
and
or
not
no
elf.
Al
drama
remarks
to
make
it
a
closer.
E
You
presiding
officer
and
can
a
foster
clearer,
interesting
I
am
a
senior
level
four
coach,
a
former
chair
of
the
Scottish
ladies
Coaches
Association,
a
member
of
European
Coaches
Association,
and
a
board
member.
The
west
of
Scotland
NSPCC
I,
have
heard
evidence
from
the
SFA
and
the
SPFL
twice
as
a
member
of
the
petitions
committee
and
once
as
a
member
of
the
health
and
sport
committee,
suffice
to
say,
has
already
been
lidded
to
by
Joanne
lament.
E
Physical
education,
physical
activity
and
sport
are
all
linked.
One
feeds
off
the
other,
especially
at
a
young
age
when
young
boys
and
girls
take
their
first
steps
into
activity
in
sport.
Not
early
experience
will
dictate
their
lifelong
relationship
with
physical
activity
and
sport.
If
it's
a
good
experience
with
fun
and
positive
learning,
then
there's
a
likelihood
they
will
stay
in
the
sport
for
at
least
a
while,
with
a
good
chance
that
the
physical
education
they
receive
as
a
youngster
will
encourage
them
to
remain
active
throughout
their
life.
E
As
I
said
before,
we
all
know
the
importance
that
physical
literacy
plays
in
both
physical
and
mental
health
as
well
as
social
interaction.
But
if
I
experience
is
poor
and
that
exit
from
what
should
have
been
a
great
experience
can
leave
a
lasting
reluctance
to
engage
again
in
sport
and
physical
activity
with
that
reduction
and
the
opportunities
for
interaction,
because
the
fact
cannot
be
highlighted
strongly
enough
that
those
at
the
forefront
of
their
sport
when
they
are
young
or
push
too
hard,
are
very
really
the
ones
that
make
it
at
senior
level.
E
Children
develop
at
different
rates,
some
maturing
earlier
than
others.
Ella
boomers
bloomers
have
an
advantage
for
a
while.
In
other
words,
you
cannot
tell-
which
ones
will
be
the
superstars
until
much
later
in
their
development
and
stories
abound
of
young
sports
men
and
women
who
were
going
to
be
the
next
great
thing
only
to
fade
away
as
I
was
caught
up
with
him
physically
or
they
drifted
away
from
the
sport
unable
to
live
up
to
the
dreams
heaped
upon
them
by
others.
A
Scottish
football
is
a
key
example
of
this.
E
Less
than
one
percent
of
those
young
players
will
go
through
the
Scottish
Youth
Academy
system
go
on
to
st.
any
kind
of
senior
contract.
So
what
happens
to
the
other
99
percent
of
that
talent
pool?
Crucially,
the
football
powers-that-be
cannot
tell
us
yet
they
should
be
responsible
for
all
levels
of
the
game
very
few
get
to
put
on
an
international
Jersey,
but
there
always
should
be
a
destination
for
them
to
continue
to
enjoy
participation.
E
Performance
in
Scotland
Jersey
is
of
huge
importance
as
a
shock
when
the
funn
encouraging
participation,
as
well
as
that
sense
of
national
trade.
However,
the
football
authorities
are
unwilling
to
accept
responsibility
of
in
surely
positive
destinations,
but
that
talent
discarded
from
this
performance
system,
then,
paradoxically,
they
do
so
to
the
huge
detriment
of
the
senior
national
team.
As
I've
previously
stated,
most
professional
sports
men
and
women
were
not
best
among
their
peers
when
they
were
younger.
Now
I've
even
listened
to
the
national
courts
criticize
the
Academy's
system.
But
what
would
he
know?
E
Apart
from
what
it's
like
to
play
in
World,
Cups
and
even
school
in
the
finals
against
Germany?
You
see
I
come
from
an
era
when
Scotland
always
qualified
for
the
World
Cup
I
remember
easily
Bella
bream,
not
in
Coe
in
74,
even
got
to
play
golf
with
the
great
Peter
Lorimer
recently
and
they
do
see
you
shouldn't
meet
your
heroes,
but
he
was
such
a
gentleman.
I
was
swiftly
swiftly
passed
by
Ali's
army
in
78
to
82
and
86.
I've
watched
the
glaciers
of
the
world
to
David
Cooper's,
the
Hansons,
the
furnaces.
E
D
Genuinely
just
wanted
just
to
explore,
you
know,
I
get
you
know
this.
An
opportunity
to
talk
about
football
does
always
offer
the
opportunity
to
reminisce
about
past
glories.
I
guess,
though,
I'm
just
trying
to
work
out
whether
or
not
what
you're
saying
then
is
that
the
youth
structures
back
then
or
what
we
want
to
emulate.
No,
because
I'm
not
sure
if
that
is
what
you
mean,
but
we
keen
to
know
whether
it
is
very.
A
E
I'm
you
never
could
never
go
back.
What's
the
system's
back
then,
would
not
work
today
in
today's
system,
however,
they
did
produce
a
little
world-class
players
who
used
to
used
to
train
but
kicking
the
ball
against
the
wall
and
putting
the
jumpers
down.
So
if
they
were
able
to
do
that,
then
why
are
we
not
been
able
to
do
that?
E
No
with
all
this
modern
technology
now
I
would
like
to
point
out
that
the
vast
majority
of
coaches
out
there
and
all
sports,
including
football,
are
doing
a
fantastic
job
selflessly
coming
up
with
their
free
time
and
so
important.
They
are
not
chopped
encouraged
just
like
the
charges.
If
sport
is
to
be
flourish
and
grow,
look
at
any
current
successful
sporting
will
see
a
long-term
commitment
to
coaches
and
coach
development.
E
Presidenting
officer
remember
thing:
I've
heard
from
the
SFA
in
the
SP
AFL
representatives
and
what
they've
said
during
their
team
answering
questions
in
the
committee
rooms.
I
would
have
to
say
that
child
welfare
and
improving
youth
football
is
not
high
on
their
agenda
issue,
either
a
warning
lack
of
knowledge
in
coach
development,
what
constitutes
essential
child
welfare
or
what
they
have
a
blatant
disregard
for
the
essential
element
that
any
governing
body
is
responsible
for
an
unwillingness
to
accept
responsibility
and
an
intransigence
to
innocent
suggestion.
E
Then
they
need
to
reevaluate
their
approach
and
nearly
every
answer
to
the
question
of
child
welfare.
Their
answer
was
almost
always
told
code
for
the
club's
itself,
and
it
was
noted
that
not
once
did
he
mention
bringing
young
girls
into
the
game.
Presiding
officer,
it's
my
assertion
that
the
great
work
being
done
out
there
in
football
clubs
are
in
the
country
is
being
undermined
by
an
arrogant
self-serving
serving
governing
body
our
care
in
its
principles
and
approach
to
the
detriment
of
all
levels
of
football
and
right
up
into
my
national
team.
E
F
You
very
much
presiding
officer.
Football
is
indeed
the
field
of
dreams.
Many
of
us
who
have
raised
children
have
watched
them
play
for
their
school
or
youth
organization,
their
local
village
or
community.
Some
of
us
have
indeed
played
in
such
teams
ourselves,
although
in
my
case-
unlike
perhaps
mr.
Whittle,
not
very
well
and
a
long
time
ago,
kids
playing
football,
do
it
for
fun.
F
That
is
inevitable,
as
we
have
heard,
just
as
with
dancers
and
musicians
and
other
creative
people
that
are
always
going
to
be
some
whose
useful
potential
is
fulfilled,
another
to
lose
interest
or
has
simply
failed
to
make
the
grade.
The
problem
with
football
in
Scotland
appears
to
be,
at
least
in
part,
that
far
more
kids
are
engaged
with
a
professional
game
at
a
tender
age
than
can
ever
possibly
achieve
success.
The
communion
of
the
committee
mentioned
the
Federal
Republic
of
Germany.
F
It
is
an
example
in
areas
like
fan,
ownership
of
football
clubs,
as
well
as
in
sporting
success
at
the
highest
level,
Germany
has
4,500
children
in
its
football
academy
system,
Scotland
has
more
than
2,500
with
a
very
much
smaller
population.
The
Dutch
who
invented
total
football
and
mr.
whittles
youth
and
mine,
led
an
LED.
The
world
in
youth
development
have
12
football
academies,
we
harvest,
johan
LeMond,
said
29.
F
It
would
be
good
to
believe
that
the
numbers
involved
in
our
youth
development
system
means
that
we
are
playing
in
the
same
league
as
the
Netherlands
and
Germany,
and
sadly
that
is
not
the
case.
It
would
also
be
good
to
give
more
kids
a
taste
of
top
team
football
if
it
was
a
fair
deal
if
the
children
and
their
families
knew
what
the
likely
outcomes
would
be,
and
if
the
youngsters,
education
and
wider
development
were
not
affected
even
more.
Sadly,
that
appears
not
to
be
the
case
either.
F
As
gentleman
said,
football
in
Scotland
has
always
had
a
special
place.
It
can
rightly
claim
to
be
a
national
sport.
It
has
played
and
enjoyed
in
all
our
cities
and
in
most
of
our
rural
communities
it
is
increasingly
a
game
for
women
and
girls,
as
well
as
men
and
boys
for
many
young
people.
The
opportunity
to
play
professionally
for
their
favourite
football
team
really
would
seem
like
a
dream
come
true.
F
That
makes
it
all
the
more
important
the
professional
football
clubs
do
everything
in
their
power
to
support
and
sustain
young
players,
rather
than
appear
to
take
advantage
of
their
enthusiasm.
As
we
have
heard,
the
current
system
seems
to
fail
that
test.
Subs
have
agreements
in
place
with
Under
16's,
which
are
of
doubtful
legal
standing
and
whose
children
and
their
families
believe
are
binding
contracts
which
the
young
players
they
are
not
breach.
F
Payments
are
made,
which
apparently
pay
no
heed
to
minimum
wage
wage
legislation,
and
we
therefore
not
stand
up
to
scrutiny
in
a
court
of
law.
Young
people
and
their
families
enter
into
agreements
when
the
young
person's
age
15,
which
of
the
effect
as
Joanne
lament
said
of
limiting
their
choices
between
their
16th
and
18th
birthdays
and
which
can
leave
young
people
at
that
critical
stage
in
their
development,
without
access
to
full
and
regular
employment,
but
no
longer
within
the
formal
education
system.
F
Compensation
payments
between
clubs
also
appear
to
go
well
beyond
the
limits
which
are
supposedly
set
and
raised
questions
about
the
rights
of
young
people
to
make
their
own
choices
about
where
they
go,
and
what
to
do
with
the
talents.
They
have
all
of
those
facts
and
allegations
should
focus
minds
and
require
active
and
effective
regulation
and
monitoring
by
the
sports
governing
bodies.
But,
as
we
already
heard
today,
that
seems
to
be
missing
now.
F
I
haven't
been
that
the
meetings
attended
by
others
or
the
petitions
committee,
where
evidence
has
been
taken
from
representatives
of
the
Scottish
Football
Association
and
the
Professional
Football
EGH
I,
can
only
go
by
the
records
and
recordings
of
those
meetings
and
the
views
of
those
who
were
present
at
the
time,
and
it
is
fair
to
say
that
many,
including,
of
course,
the
petitioners
who
are
behind
today's
debate.
Many
have
been
unconvinced
by
what
they
have
heard
where
progress
has
been
made.
F
It
has
been
slow
and
the
remain
important
issues
which
have
yet
to
be
addressed
at
all.
The
right
of
youngsters
to
play
for
their
school
as
well
as
their
club
has
been
affirmed,
but
only
a
number
of
years
after
it
was
raised
by
this
petition
and
how
far
it
has
applied
in
practice
remains
an
open
question.
I
was
delighted
when
my
local
secondary
school
Haslett
Academy,
was
named
as
one
of
seven
SFA
performance
schools
across
government.
F
This
was
a
good
initiative
launched
in
2012
to
ensure
that
young
players
could
continue
with
their
existing
curriculum,
while
receiving
football
support
from
an
elite
coach
based
on
school
and
in
the
case
of
hazel
head
with
her
systems,
also
from
our
Dean
Football
Club.
That
is
the
kind
of
partnership
approach
which
can
help
young
people
in
football
and
beyond.
F
We
need
to
see
more
of
that
approach.
The
sfas
also
couldn't
place
a
Child
Protection
Officer
and
the
children's
rights
officer.
That
is
certainly
to
be
welcomed,
as
both
the
convener
and
the
minister
have
already
said,
but
the
debate
must
encourage
a
more
urgent
and
proactive
approach
to
issues
of
children
and
young
people's
rights
in
the
areas
of
player,
registration,
payments
of
16
and
17
year
olds
and
money
changing
hands
between
clubs.
F
As
has
been
said,
it
is
highly
unusual
for
a
public
petition
through
this
Parliament
to
attract
the
attention
of
members
from
committees
in
three
successive
sessions.
That
should
also
focus
the
minds
of
those
responsible
for
running
the
professional
game
in
Scotland.
It
should
also
focus
the
minds
of
Ministers.
Of
course,
the
disbursement
of
public
funds
is
ultimately
their
responsibility,
no
matter
how
many
hands
those
funds
pass
through
on
the
way.
F
So
any
failure
to
protect
the
interests
of
our
young
people
in
our
national
game
is
ultimately
a
matter
that
the
government
must
take
an
interest
in,
as
well
as
the
sports
governing
bodies,
so
I
hope.
We
will
hear
at
the
end
of
this
debate
that
the
government
share
self
you
and
I
know.
The
minister
has
promised
to
lay
eight
more
about
the
essential
timetable
which
underpins
the
commitments
just
made
today.
A
G
Thank
You
presiding
officer,
I
would
like
to
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
in
this
debate.
In
my
capacity
as
deputy
convener
of
the
Hilton
sport
committee,
our
committees,
inquiry
on
child
protection
in
sport
has
a
valuable
contribution
to
make
to
the
parliaments
consideration
this
afternoon
of
how
we
can
improve
youth
football
in
Scotland.
Iraq
is
focused
on
seeking
assurances.
The
current
safeguards
are
in
place
across
football
and
other
sports
to
ensure
that
sexual
abuse
of
children
could
not
happen.
Today
in
sport,
we
must
ensure
that
sport,
including
football,
is
a
force
for
good.
G
As
a
committee,
we
have
emphasized
it
as
the
ability
to
make
profound
and
positive
impact
on
the
health
and
well-being
of
individuals,
communities
and
wider
society.
However,
our
findings
in
relation
to
current
safeguards
in
football
have
left
us
with
severe
concerns
regarding
the
current
protections
being
afforded
to
youth
footballers
in
Scotland.
Today,
the
incites
own
inquiry
has
afforded
us
and
to
the
operation
of
the
Scottish
Football
Association,
and
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association
have
found
to
associations
woefully
lacking
in
the
application
of
current
rules
governing
the
PVG
scheme.
G
Our
evidence
sessions
with
the
SFA
and
sy
FA
have
demonstrated
their
failure
to
communicate
and
work
together
to
ensure
child
protection
policies
are
in
place
and
monitored
and
underpinning
all
of
this,
as
others
have
already
highlighted,
we
found
an
alarming
failure
by
the
SFA
and
sy
Fe
to
both
recognize
and
address
the
power
imbalance
in
the
relationship
between
professional
football
clubs
and
children
and
young
people.
The
approach
taken
by
these
football
organisations
to
engaging
with
the
committee
has
left
us
concerned.
G
They
have
failed
to
grasp
gravitas
of
the
situation
that
the
protection
of
children
participating
in
sport
is
paramount
to
move
now
on
to
some
of
the
findings
that
led
to
the
details
that
later
are
worrying
findings.
The
BBC
reported
in
December
of
last
year
that
two
and
a
half
thousand
coaches
working
in
youth
football
had
not
been
PVG
checked.
We
preserved
with
the
SAF
whether
the
figures
reported
but
accurate.
G
We
found
the
information
provided
to
us,
but
the
s
Y
Fe
was
not
consistent
in
relation
to
the
rate
of
churn
of
its
membership
and
the
number
of
checks
undertaken.
We
concluded
in
a
report.
They
had
misled
government
officials
and,
as
the
committee
in
relation
to
the
levels
of
backlog
of
PVG
checks
being
experienced
since
at
least
August
2016,
the
PVG
scheme
is
an
important
component
of
trail
protection
measures
used
by
football
clubs
and
to
not
have
this
most
basic
protection
measure
operating
effectively
was
an
alarming
finding.
G
There
seem
to
be
clear
attempts
through
our
enquiry
by
the
SFA
to
place
the
blame
for
the
responsibility
for
this
mismanagement
solely
at
the
door
of
the
sy
Fe.
The
SFA
insisted
the
sy
Fe
was
an
autonomous
organization
but
affiliated
to
them.
We
would
advise
this
meant.
The
sy
Fe
had
its
own
Constitution
rules,
regulations
and
boards
and
responsibility
for
managing
its
own
business,
whilst
at
the
same
time
the
sfe
were
able
to
issue
directives
binding
on
all
its
members.
The
SFA
detailed,
some
tightening
up
on
governance.
G
There
had
been
an
appointment
of
a
child
well-being
and
protection
manager.
The
SFA
also
determined
greater
consistency
should
be
sought
in
relation
to
child
protection
measures
and
to
decree
the
directive
to
be
implemented
by
its
members.
Their
approach
was
explained
as
being
soft
touch
to
ensure
policies
were
in
place
as
opposed
to
being
implemented.
Soft
touch
may
have
been
the
previous
but
Swartz,
but
we
were
clear.
This
can
no
longer
be
applicable.
As
the
committee
we
believe
the
SFA
have,
wherever
they
claim
responsibilities.
G
We
detailed
in
a
report
that
the
current
approach
was
simply
not
working
effectively
to
protect
children
and
young
people
participating
in
football
and,
in
our
view,
the
ultimate
responsibility
for
this
lead
with
the
essay
fee
as
the
governing
body.
We
also
said
the
essay
fee
have
the
power
and
procedures
available
to
them
to
address
this
and
called
for
the
current
feelings
to
be
eradicated,
feeling
which
we
want
to
see
old
government
funding
grants
and
other
monies
stopped.
This
ultimately
brings
us
to
the
central
concern
at
the
heart
of
all
these
issues.
G
Power
and
the
power
imbalance
apparent
in
football
has
manifested
itself
in
various
guises
through
her
engagement
with
the
SF
e
and
s.
Yf
e
play
merrily
the
power
imbalance,
as
termed
by
the
then
children
and
young
people's
Commissioner
Tom
Bailey
lies
with
the
relationship
between
professional
football
clubs
and
children
and
young
people.
Mr.
Bailey
stated
this
imbalance
was
unique
to
football
and
arose.
He
stated
as
it
was
in
the
club's
vested
interest
to
have
complete
control
of
the
children.
He
emphasized.
G
I
also
think
it's
important
to
note
presiding
officer
when
I
asked
the
sy
FA
and
their
most
recent
evidence
session
with
the
committee.
If
I
was
to
present
myself
to
a
soccer
academy
wanting
to
volunteer
what
the
PVG
process
would
be,
the
representatives
response
referred
to,
he
they
are
clearly
hardwired
when
considering
coaches,
the
automatic
assumption
was
that
only
men
can
become
involved
in
these
rules.
The
Syndicates
we
have
a
long
way
to
go
and
opening
football
organizations
to
all.
We
need
to
end
outdated
and
gender
biased
attitudes
wherever
they
are
to
be
found.
G
We
have
also
seen
the
SFA
rather
than
taking
responsibility
for
the
concerns
we
have
highlighted
regarding
their
approach
to
child
protection.
Attempting
to
exert
power
by
deflecting
blame.
This
included
upon
publication
of
a
report
launching
a
pearson
attack
at
a
convener
to
deflate
from
the
fact
that
no
family
was
merely
expressing
their
consensual
committee
views
owner
concerns
with
their
performance
for
improvements
to
be
made
in
youth.
Football.
Fundamental
changes
need
to
be
made
and
conclusion
to
speak
the
language,
those
in
the
essay
and
sy
Fe
will
understand.
G
H
I
You
for
st.
Austin
I'd
like
to
take
this
opportunity
to
the
maned
colleagues
that
I
am
the
parliamentary,
it's
not
so
far,
hill
from
support
secretary
I'm
delighted
to
have
the
opportunity
to
speak
in
this
debate
today.
I,
don't
like
to
start
by
paying
tribute
the
organizers
of
the
petitioner,
Scott
Robertson
and
bonus
methods,
all
those
have
done
already
for
the
massive
amount
of
time
and
energy
that
they
put
into
getting
especially
to
the
debating
chamber.
Today.
I
Callings
will
be
aware
that
I
have
recently
started
a
cross-party
group
and
the
future
of
football
in
Scotland
and
I'm
sure
that
the
issue
is
raised
in
that's,
baduk
possession
will
be
discussed
at
length
over
the
coming
months
and
years
and
on
that
note,
I
would
like
to
encourage
all
members
across
the
chamber
to
come
along
and
join
in
the
discussions
we'll
be
having
at
that
group
because
they
know
so.
The
very
serious
issues
raised
in
the
petition-
and
these
are
the
issues
to
be
cleared
all
deplane
about
and
I.
I
Don't
think
that
they
can
be
put
any
more
passionately
than
the
speech
of
my
colleague.
They
are
just
before
me
here
from
clear,
hawky
him
when
she
put
forward
the
the
views
of
the
hill
from
support
Khmer
as
a
father.
I
want
to
know
that
when
my
children
join
a
football
club
that
they
are
safe
and
there's
been
to
me,
there
has
been
progress-
has
been
mentioned
bells
by
the
SFA
in
recent
months
and
in
shooting
the
boys
and
girls
involved
in
clubs
are
fully
vetted
and
qualified
to
be
so
in
a
welcome.
I
That's
progress
but
I
would
also
like
to
know
the
speech
before
me
have
said,
and
a
comments
from
the
minister
that
let
us
know
lots
of
what
to
be
done
in
this
area
a
and
with
a
call
those
calls
to
diagnosed
as
a
part
of
the
process
of
forming
the
cross-party
group.
I
held
the
series
of
meetings
at
hand
and
last
month
with
various
stakeholders
in
the
game.
They
may
not
used
in
the
petition
a
surrounding
contracting,
a
children
to
individual
clubs,
a
compensation
and
participation
where
the
clubs
were
very
much
on
the
agenda.
I
Your
colleagues,
there
can
be
no
denying
that
as
an
issue
that
talented
youngsters
are
snapped
up
by
the
larger
clubs
in
Scotland,
and
there
can
be
no
denying
that
some
of
them
will
get
what
or
no
actual
game
time
and
the
changes
in
rules
to
stop
cops.
Preventing
young
people
playing
for
their
school
or
local
club
are
an
excellent
State
forward
and
I
have
had
a
local
stories
of
talented
youngsters
traveling
from
college,
for
example,
top
of
Dean
for
a
match
Dean
coming
on
in
the
89th
man.
I
This
is
a
difficult
situation
and
I
can
see
sort
of
both
sides
of
the
story
and
I'll
be
in
robust
support
on
my
local
club
and
bringing
through
young
players
or
so
clubs,
waker
survive.
If
Albion
Rovers
invest
time
and
money
and
tough,
we
are
from
12
years
old
and
then
for
talking
sake.
Maybe
I
have
soda
hearts
to
come
and
when
he's
16,
it's
not
a
lot
for
freeholder
clubs
like
Albion,
Rovers,
realistic
way,
survive
and
invest
in
the
next
generation
of
players.
That
said,
I
can
put
understand.
I
The
frustration
of
player
has
been
trapped
in
the
reverse
of
that
situation,
told
by
a
cop.
He
wouldn't
make
it
to
the
first
team,
but
not
all
ready
to
move
on,
because
a
smaller
cop
kind
of
hope
they
pay
the
compensation.
So
the
leaves
no
doubt
that
it's
a
very
tricky
ask
you
am,
and
I
can
promise
a
today
that
will
be
on
the
agenda
for
the
cross-party
group
very
soon
and
I
welcome
contributions
from
the
petitioners
at
the
time
of
the
Arabella
winter
presiding
officer.
I
Volunteers
are
putting
huge
amount
of
their
own
time
and
efforts
on
some
things
up
to
35
40
hours
a
week
as
well
as
doing
other
Joe.
They
help
devote
that
what
the
the
sfa
partners
and
McDonald's
and
SPF
fail
when
the
trust
of
doing
typic
doing
something.
Gentle
barrios
that
others
have
talked
about
as
well.
There
are
more
women
and
girls
involved
in
football
than
ever
before
and
I
just
want
to
take
an
example
from
Owen
King
such
and
say
badly
football
club
in
MIDI
spawn
when
he
started
two
years
ago.
I
They
had
nine
girls
and
thirty
or
the
boys.
Two
years
later,
they've
now
got
56,
kettles
and
53
boys,
so
certainly
am.
If
we
can
see
the
practice
lay
badly
a
implemented
elsewhere.
Are
you
safe
in
the
right
direction?
I
heard
that
that
may
is
available
there.
The
rise
and
disability
teams
yeah
and
the
joy
that
that's
playing
in
many
children
and
and
parents
and
people
actually
got
up
and
spoke
to
that
a.m.
it
was
really.
I
I
Surely
we
must
be
doing
more
to
make
these
patches
that
are
lying,
empty,
more
accessible,
I'm
running
a
15
percent,
or
so
so
we
just
liked
it
funny
Sean,
that's
all
her
job
to
make
feel
that
more
children
and
adults
can
get
involved
in
football
and
that
they
are
safe
has
got
to
be
the
most
important
thing
and
the
safe
and
I
hope
the
day.
Sfa
and
other
organizations
can
take
that
on
board
and
I
will
finish
or
not
just
oversized
phones.
Thank
you.
Thank.
J
You,
deputy
presiding
officer
I'm
indeed
proud
to
be
Stan
to
be
speaking
here
today
in
the
of
an
international
athlete
in
Brian
Whittle,
an
international
cricketer
in
Liz,
Smith,
deputy
presiding
officer.
Football
is
exactly
one
of
the
Scotland's
favorite
sports
it.
It
plays
an
important
role
in
many
young
people's
lives,
as
well
as
the
health
benefits
that
regular
exercise
gives.
Our
young
people
participating.
Youth
football
can
build
confidence,
improve
communication
and
social
skills
and
increase
focus.
Regular
physical
activity
prevents
obesity
and
ill
health
and
children
throughout
their
lives,
and
it
should
be
wholeheartedly
encouraged.
J
The
petition
we
are
doing
here
debate
today
is
improving
youth
football
and
highlights
a
number
of
areas
of
concern:
around
contracts,
transfer
payments,
physical
education,
schools
and
public
funding.
As
a
former
member
of
the
public
petitions
committee,
I've
had
the
opportunity
to
consider
this
petition
for
some
time,
and
it
raises
a
number
of
important
questions
and
I
welcome
the
opportunity
to
debate
some
aspects
of
the
petition
here
in
the
chamber
today.
One
of
the
concerns
of
petitioners
has
is
the
amount
of
physical
education
in
our
schools.
J
J
Scotland
has
one
of
the
worst
obesity
records
among
OECD
countries
and
in
2015,
two
thirds
of
adults
were
overweight,
while
28
percent
of
the
children
were
at
risk
of
becoming
overweight.
Any
effort
to
improve
this
damning
situation
has
to
be
welcomed,
and
while
initiatives
like
the
daily
mile
are
a
step
in
the
right
direction,
it
does
not
go
far
enough.
Any
problems
preventing
or
putting
children
off
playing
sport
should
be
reduced.
We
are
on
these
benches.
J
We
on
these
benches
believe
that
across
governmental
strategy
is
required
to
tackle
Scotland's
obesity
and
inactivity
problems,
a
strategy
that
focuses
on
prevention
rather
than
cure,
and
that
puts
the
importance
of
reducing
childhood
obesity
and
inactivity
right
at
the
top
of
the
government
agenda
is
important.
Another
major
concern
of
the
petitioner
is
around
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association,
and
the
contracts
being
placed
on
children,
the
Scottish
Commissioner
for
children.
J
Young
people
found
that
there
appears
to
be
a
gap
in
the
regulatory
activity
by
government
and
governing
bodies
in
terms
of
ensuring
that
the
best
interests
of
the
child
are
respected,
protected
and
promoted
in
the
youth
football
registration
process.
Their
report,
looking
into
concerns
of
this
petition,
go
on
to
say
that
and
I
quote.
There
is
a
problem
within
the
system
generally
in
terms
of
how
it
recognizes
the
rights
of
children
and
of
young
people
to
make
choices
which
are
respected.
J
A
young
or
young
person
is
encouraged
to
be
a
passive
recipient
of
the
opportunity,
not
an
empowered
actor
in
the
process.
Children
as
young
as
eight
and
nine
are
being
required
to
sign
commitment
forms
for
SFA
member
clubs
which
they
believe
to
be
contracts.
The
SFA
have
argued
that
the
registration
is
not
a
contract,
rather
a
form
that
binds
the
player
to
the
club.
J
This
is
something
that
requires
closer
scrutiny
and
a
minor
in
is
certainly
no
position
to
make
binding
commitments
to
any
club
and
our
question
of
whether
they
should
be
expected
to
do
so.
The
Scottish
Conservatives
have
concerns
with
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association,
and
believe
that
further
steps
need
to
be
taken
around
the
well-being
of
young
players
and,
as
Claire
Hockey
quite
rightly
pointed
out
just
now.
The
last
year
many
register
coaches
had
not
had
even
PVG
clearance.
This
is
a
situation.
It
needs
to
be
urgently
rectified
and
I
welcome.
J
The
commitment
by
the
sy
FA
to
look
at
significant
plans
to
tighten
procedures
from
April
2018
I
want
to
young
I,
want
our
young
people
to
have
the
opportunities
to
participate
in
sports
at
all
levels
and
I
recognise
that
a
great
deal
of
these
options
come
from
committed
volunteers
who
give
up
their
evenings
or
weekends
to
take
training
and
organise
matches.
I
see
this
happening
now
in
my
west
Scotland
region
and
in
particular
Dumbarton
Vale,
11,
Renton
and
Hallam
zabrze
amongst
other
communities
and
in
my
own
hometown
of
Helens
borough.
J
We
now
have
two
youth
football
clubs
and
they're
really
expanding
well,
but
well
managed
and
well
coached
forward.
It
is,
however,
absolutely
vital
that
we
have
the
safeguards
in
place
to
protect
our
young
and
vulnerable
people,
and
that
is
why
P
V
G
certification
is
so
important.
Sport
can
be
a
force
for
so
much
good.
It
brings
people
together,
improves
both
physical
and
mental
health
and,
most
of
all,
it's
fun.
Deputy
presiding
officer
in
closing.
All
children
should
be
encouraged
to
exercise
and
play
sport
and,
of
course,
sports
clubs
play
a
role
in
this.
J
It
is
also
important
to
have
programs
in
place
to
harness
the
talents
of
our
young
sports
people
and
encourage
young
sportsmen
and
women
into
elite
sports.
We
want
elite
clubs
to
find
harness
and
build
talent,
as
brown
Whittle
was
saying
to
bring
forward
on
to
the
next
generation
of
elite
athletes.
However,
no
child
should
ever
feel
trapped
or
face
undue
pressure
under
such
a
program.
Thank
you.
Thank.
K
For
saving
officer
ask
my
colleagues
and
the
petitioners
committee
have
said
this-
is
one
of
the
longest-running
petitions
in
the
Scottish
Parliament
public
petitions
system
dating
back
to
2010.
That
fact
alone,
in
my
opinion,
speaks
volumes
about
the
complexity
of
this
issue
and
gives
an
indication
of
the
intransigent
nature
of
the
hierarchy
in
Scottish
football.
The
committee
has
tabled
the
petition
27
times,
which
has
included
discussions,
commissioning
reports
and
evidence
gathering
on
a
number
of
occasions
from
key
people
in
Scottish
football
ministers,
the
petitioners
themselves
and
many
more
relevant
stakeholders.
K
This
is
the
effect
of
isolating
the
young
players
from
their
peers,
been
banned
from
enjoying
a
more
relaxed
game
of
football
with
their
friends
and
restricting
them
from
the
game
they
love.
The
effect
for
many
is
complete
disillusionment
with
the
sport
and
the
end
up
cutting
all
ties
with
football.
In
addition,
the
question
must
be
asked
how
appropriate
compensation
payments
between
sfe
member
clubs
are
for
the
transfer
of
young
players
under
16.
There's.
K
Also,
the
question
of
accountability
of
the
audit
process
and
the
accountability
of
public
funds
held
by
the
SFA
and
distributed
to
member
clubs.
But
for
me,
the
core
petition.
The
core
of
this
petition
is
child
welfare.
It's
about
children
being
used
as
commodities
by
male
dominated
top-down
organizations
and
tent
and
get
involved
for
money
and
discovering
the
next
Kenny
Dalglish.
The
reality
is
that
their
actions
frequently
shattered
the
dreams
of
many
young
people
and,
in
my
opinion,
their
trading
and
that
their
the
dreams
shattered
ours,
not
the
dreamcatchers,
presiding
officer
before
I
go
on.
K
Let
me
say
that
the
many
excellent
hard-working
youth
coaches,
with
a
desire
to
help
young
people
throughout
Scotland
reach
their
potential
and
progress
in
the
sport
and
in
no
way
to
blame.
I
have
two
close
family
connections
who
work
in
youth,
football.
Coaching
and
I
know
they
do
it
because
football
is
their
passion
and
they
genuinely
care
about
the
welfare
of
the
youngsters
in
their
charge
and
they
do
their
utmost
to
help
them
realize
their
dreams.
K
However,
they're
in
a
world
away
from
the
man
in
suits
in
the
SA
Fe
and
the
SPFL
who
run
football
in
Scotland,
a
number
of
other
serious
issues
are
raised
by
this
position.
As
we've
heard
across
the
chamber,
a
child
who
signs
a
registration
form
age
group
15
can
be
held
by
the
professional
football
club
for
three
consecutive
seasons.
Up
to
the
18th
birthday,
the
operation
of
the
compensation
scheme
has
not
changed
and
continues
to
cause
concern
with
payments
been
between
clubs,
which
have
been
made
beyond
the
parameters
of
that
scheme.
K
Helia
treated
the
concerns
that
the
Scottish
Football
Association
and
the
Scottish
Premier
Football
League,
have
been
intransigent
to
change
and
told
them
of
the
documentary
evidence
produced,
which
confirms
16
to
17
year
have
signed
with
professional
football
clubs
for
wages
ranging
between
1
to
10
pounds
per
week.
During
evidence
to
the
committee
in
the
22nd
of
December
last
year,
Neil
dong
cast
our
chief
executive
SPFL
stated.
We
do
not
have
say
of
the
contracts
between
clubs
and
players
effectively
eligibility
to
play
an
SPFL
competitions
arises
from
a
scottish
fe
registration.
K
So
no
I
don't
have
any
knowledge
of
clubs
paying
upon
the
week
presiding
officer,
even
when
it
was
brought
to
their
attention.
They
failed
to
act
in
response
to
a
letter
and
the
minimum
wage
from
the
petitioners.
The
SFA
and
SPFL
stated
this
area
of
legislation
is
complex
and
it's
not
always
apparent
from
a
contract.
How
many
errors
are
clear,
maybe
working
an
irrelevant
pea
period.
K
It's
true
that,
during
the
lengthy
passage
of
this
petition
that
have
been
some
positive
developments,
such
as
the
SFA
appointing
a
child
protection
officer
and
a
children's
rights
officer
and
some
limited
changes
to
children's
rights.
Well
as
saying
well
saying
to
a
professional
football
club
and
as
the
minister
said,
the
Scottish
Government
have
indicated
their
desire
to
work
with
clubs
to
trace
outstanding
issues,
but
due
to
the
inactivity
and
intransigence
of
those
holding
positions
of
power
within
the
SPF
fail
and
the
sfe
Tom
Bailey
is
calling
for
legislation
to
address
the
matter.
K
As
we've
heard
the
fact
his
children
have
been
asked
to
say
in
contracts,
despite
not
having
the
legal
power
to
do
so
pan
under
the
age
of
16.
Many
parents
do
not
understand
the
small
print
of
these
contracts
and,
in
any
case,
are
so
overwhelmed
that
their
child
has
been
given
a
chance
to
progress
to
professional
football
that
they
do
not
want
to
rock
the
boat
and
ruin
their
dreams,
presiding
officer.
The
purpose
of
this
petitioners
to
expose
the
abuse
of
power
and
control
of
children
by
professional
football
clubs
in
Scotland.
K
H
L
You
presiding
officer,
it's
a
privilege
to
speak
in
this
important
to
be
and
I
commend
the
considerable
and
lengthy
work
of
the
petitions
committee.
That's
been
undertaken.
Tacklin
with
such
as
I
got
issues
that
have
remained
unresolved
in
Scottish
football.
For
far
too
long.
Although
I'm,
not
a
member
of
the
petitions
committee
I
am
a
member
of
the
health
and
sport
committee
and
has
cleared
hawky
explained
the
earlier.
L
That
committee
has
undertaken
an
inquiry
on
a
topic
very
much
related
to
the
petitions
committee
worked
on
youth
football,
namely
chair
protection
in
sport,
so
presenting
officers
like
to
focus
my
brief
comments
today
on
that
particular
issue.
We
all
know
that
sport,
including
football,
has
the
power
to
really
inspire
young
people
to
make
them
healthier
to
develop
a
real
sense
of
achievement
and
short
to
be
a
force
for
good.
L
So
that's
a
no
small
part
thanks
to
the
tireless
and
selfless
commitment
of
the
thousands
of
dedicated,
mainly
volunteer
youth
coaches
right
across
Scotland
coaches
are
give
up
their
time,
often
at
personal
cost,
to
make
a
profound,
inspiring
difference
their
lives
of
the
young
people
they
work
with.
So
it's
important
that
we
recognize
the
positive
impact
those
coaches
make
to
the
health
and
well-being
of
individuals,
local
communities
and
wider
society
and
recent
months.
L
However,
we've
all
heard
the
tragic
cases
of
former
youth
footballers
who
have
come
forward
to
tell
their
personal
stories
of
historical
sexual
abuse
in
football,
but
a
small
minority
of
abusers,
not
coaches,
have
used
their
position
of
influence
to
perpetrate
securing
claims
as
those
tragedies
that
prompted
the
health
and
sport
committee
to
undertake
an
inquiry
not
to
examine
those
tragic
cases,
that's
very
much
for
the
police
and
the
course,
but
to
seek
assurances
that
the
current
safeguards
in
place
and
sport
are
such
that
child
abuse
could
and
would
not
be
allowed
to
happen.
Today.
L
The
committee
consider
a
number
of
areas
with
a
particular
focus
on
the
protect
and
vulnerable
group
scheme
and
Sheerin
adults
working
as
coaches
and
similar
rules
have
undergone
necessary.
Pvg
checks
should
be
a
fundamental
starting
point
for
safeguarding
children
and
young
people.
However,
the
committee
learned
that
participation
in
the
PVG
scheme
is
not
mandatory
for
those
working
with
young
people
in
sport
and
there's
no
requirement
for
talent,
scouts
and
other
intermediate
is
to
undergo
PVG
chase.
L
Although
it's
an
offence
to
knowingly
employ
a
person
on
the
bad
list,
evidence
from
the
schools
of
Scotland
to
the
committee's
inquiry
confirmed
that
and
the
court,
it's
not
an
offence
to
employ
somebody
if
you
do
not
know
that
they
are
bad,
which
presumably
includes
cases
where
the
organisation
hasn't
had
a
PVG
check
carried.
Oh,
it
was
clear
to
committee
members
that
there's
a
need
to
be
more
explicit
when
PVG
checks
should
be
required,
and
that
is
quoting
from
the
committee's
recommendations.
A
compelling
case
for
the
PVG
scheme
to
be
made
mandatory.
L
The
committee
concluded
that
the
current
system
may
not
be
prevent
an
unsuitable
people
from
doing
regulated.
What
the
inadequacies
of
that
the
present
voluntary
system
are
dramatically
brought
home
to
the
committee,
but
what,
by
what
can
only
be
described
as
the
shambles
of
the
Scottish
Youth
Football,
Association's
handling
or
PVG
checks?
A
square
hockey
said
earlier
Journal
inquiry
in
December
2016.
L
The
BBC
claimed
that
two
and
a
half
thousand
coaches.
What
can
a
youth
football,
had
not
been
PVG
change
when
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association,
appeared
before
committee
to
give
evidence
and
to
be
questioned
on
the
number
of
outstanding
PVG
checks,
the
figures
they
provided
lack
consistently
consistently
and
frankly,
they
misled
the
committee.
L
We
found
out
the
offers
of
assistance
to
the
sy
Fe
from
disclosure,
Scotland
and
volunteers
Scotland,
to
help
clear
the
backlog
of
applications
were
rejected
by
the
Youth
Football
Association
and
throughout
all
of
this,
the
Scottish
Football
Association
took
the
view
that
Youth
Football
were
Youth.
Football
Association
was
an
autonomous
organization
simply
affiliated
to
the
SFA.
As
a
committee
concluded,
such
a
soft-touch
approached
by
the
SFA
was
simply
not
working
effectively
to
protect
children
and
young
people
with
football
and,
as
a
committee
convener
said,
the
SFA
were
asleep
on
the
job.
L
Although
the
SFA
and
the
sy
FA
are
not
accountable
to
Parliament,
the
SFA
and
other
sporting
bodies
do
receive
public
funding
and
they
committed
to
the
view
that
such
grants
shouldn't
future
be
conditional
on
adequate
child
protection
procedures
being
put
in
place
and
being
adhere
to
was
this
PVG
system
is
a
vital
part
of
safeguard
and
the
safeguarding
process.
We
know
that
alone
is
not
enough
to
guarantee
safety.
L
This
was
a
point
made
by
the
Professional
Football
Association
Scotland,
the
near
evidence
to
the
committee
when
they
stated
and
I
quote,
PVG
checks
only
raise
issues
when
an
individual
has
a
criminal
record.
The
committee
heard
that
since
2002
children,
first
of
what
with
sport
Scotland
to
deliver
the
safe
garden
and
sports
service
support
was
support
which
goes
well
beyond
PVG
checks
and
maintains
a
set
of
minimum
operating
requirements
which
have
currently
been
updated
to
take
a
much
broader
and
were
child
centered
and
rights
based
approach.
Something
I
very
much
welcome.
L
However,
it's
clear
that
whatever
processes
or
procedures
are
slowly
being
put
in
place
and
a
common
and
a
current
theme
in
the
evidence
to
the
health
and
sport
committee
as
a
fundamental
cultural
problem
within
sport,
where
children
are
not
properly
valued
and
their
well-being
is
not
at
the
center
of
people's
thinking.
A
theme
clearly
evident
in
the
work
of
the
petitions
committee.
Children
first
told
the
health
and
sport
committee
that
the
recent
allegations
of
historical
child
abuse
in
sport
are
caught.
The
latest
manifestation
of
society's
collective
failure
to
lessen
to
believe
and
respond
to
children.
L
Who've
been
abused.
The
former
children,
young
people's
Commissioner
for
Scotland
Town
be
leery
specific
concerns
regarding
Ness
culture
and
the
power
imbalance
and
football,
and
the
unfair
treatment
of
children
are
gone
that
has
Anna
caught
again
and
clubs
at
vested
interest
to
have
complete
control
of
the
children
and
that
everything
is
done
to
the
advantage
of
the
professional
football
clubs
and
to
the
disadvantage
of
the
children
involved.
When
given
evidence,
the
chief
executive
of
the
SFA
denied
these
claims,
as
we've
held
today
as
a
denial
that
frankly
lacks
credibility
and
conclude
and
present
off.
L
So
it's
clear
from
today's
to
be
there
both
committees
she
review,
but
the
football
authorities
have
an
overrated
duty
to
eradicate
less
imbalance
and
indeed
any
perception
of
it.
The
health
and
sport
committee
are
very
clear
that
both
coming
from
the
football
authorities,
the
Scottish
government,
should
then
act
through
legislation.
Thank.
M
Presiding
officer
I'm
very
grateful
to
Joanne
lament
and
the
petitions
committee
for
raising
this
important
issue
for
debate
in
the
chamber
today.
The
conduct
of
our
national
game
and
the
induction
of
our
children
into
it
has
seldom
attracted
the
focus
of
this
chamber.
But
after
seven
years
in
committee
and
for
the
reasons
outlined
by
those
submitting
the
petition,
we
are
right
to
address
it
today
and
not
before
time.
M
We
would
surely,
as
a
parliament,
have
cried
foul
long
ago,
yet
for
some
reason,
the
church
we
have
built
around
scottish
football
has
avoided
the
scrutiny
and
the
rebuke
of
this
chamber.
It's
more
wonder,
then,
that
Scotland's
former
Children's
Commissioner,
my
friend
and
colleague,
who
we've
heard
quoted
several
times
today,
already
Tom
Bailey,
said
of
the
practice
that
clubs
are
trading
on
the
dreams
and
aspirations
of
those
children
and
young
people.
At
the
end
of
the
day,
they
are
exploiting
them
for
monetary
gain.
M
In
these
words,
we
see
the
measure
of
the
power
imbalance
that
exists
naturally
between
young
people
ardent
to
follow
the
international
glory
of
their
heroes
and
idols,
who
must
follow
a
narrow
and
deeply
competitive
path
to
success
where
it
is
coach's
talent,
scouts
club
managers
who
hold
all
of
the
lead
bladders
to
that
success
from
a
desperately
early
age,
young
people
who
would
seek
to
rise
to
such
Heights.
The
game
become
aware
of
what
it
is.
M
It
is
because,
in
part
of
recognition
of
power,
imbalances
such
as
this
that
we
have
sought
to
bring
forward
child
protection
legislation
in
the
past,
we
had
I
suppose
assumed
that
the
protection
of
vulnerable
groups
Act
would
be
sufficient
in
protecting
children
from
people
who
would
seek
to
exploit
them
or
abused
them
in
locker
rooms
or
on
playing
fields.
But
we
never
stop
to
think
about
the
industry
that
now
surrounds
the
elite
end
of
the
game.
M
We
should
therefore,
as
a
matter
of
urgency,
seek
to
reevaluate
and
to
regulate
not
just
the
agency
and
contractual
side
of
this,
but
the
police
chase
that
those
people
who
hold
sway
over
these
young
lives
but
are
not
currently
covered
by
legislation,
should
also
now
undertake
deputy
presiding
officer
they're
very
lights.
Today's
little
attitude
of
those
who
preside
over
the
game
in
this
country,
I
will.
M
That
I
felt
to
be
nothing
more
than
a
dereliction
of
duty
and
I
know.
My
colleagues
on
the
committee
agree
that
the
Scottish
Football
Association
should
finally
issue
a
directive
to
the
sy
FA
to
have
all
of
its
coaches.
Pvg
checked
before
the
samurai's
was
referred
to
by
Colin
Smith
a
full
ten
years
after
the
Artic
came
into
force
demands
our
immediate
attention,
presiding
officer,
youth.
Football
has
such
a
capacity
for
good
in
this
country
and
properly
managed
it
can
engender
enormous
and
positive
social
impact.
M
Take
for
example,
Spartans
community
Football
Academy
in
North
Edinburgh
set
up
in
2008.
They
now
reach
more
than
2,000
young
people
every
year,
many
from
my
constituency
in
Edinburgh
Western,
besides
more
obvious
reasons
why
a
club
might
like
this
might
be
so
important.
They're,
also
educating
those
who
might
fall
through
the
cracks.
Their
alternative
school
provides
young
people
who
find
school,
challenging
or
at
risk
of
exclusion,
with
a
different
way
to
learn
in
classes
a
few
times
a
week.
Subjects
including
English
maths.
In
addition
to
the
physical
activity,
the
game
provides.
M
Football
is
a
language
that
can
connect
with
even
the
hardest
to
reach
young
people
in
our
society
and
early
support
from
community
clubs
such
as
these
can
transform
lives,
be
they
aspirant
footballers
from
the
fringes
of
our
society
or
at
the
very
top
of
their
game.
Children
of
any
ability
must
enjoy
the
full
protection
of
this
Parliament
from
any
form
of
exploitation
or
molestation,
and
it
is
as
such
that
we
rightly
turn
our
attention
to
it
today.
Thank
you.
Thank.
H
N
So
he
knows
that
I've
been
involved
in
football
for
as
long
as
I
can
remember.
I
was
a
young,
fine,
mediocre
player,
a
coach,
a
manager,
love
amateur
and
juvenile
clubs,
a
proud
father
and
a
grandfather.
But
there
are
two
areas
which
are
most
relevant
here,
my
two
sons.
What
good
players
must
youngest
same
facility
and
played
for
Scotland
I
mean
he
was
asked.
He
saying
wild
horses
couldn't
of
dragged
them
away
for
signing
for
the
club.
N
He
and
her
family
had
always
supported
display
offers
from
high-profile
English
clubs
and
I'll,
be
honest
and
say:
I
do
not
remember
even
looking
at
the
contract,
but
I
want
to
say
back
there
in
young
football.
Footballers
were
just
food
for
the
beast
you
made.
It
are,
you
doesn't
say,
love
ye
as
far
as
the
club
was
concerned
and
I
had
honestly
thought
that
things
had
changed
dramatically
since
then,
but
reading
the
committee
papers,
listening
to
the
representatives
of
the
SFA
and
SPFL,
the
two
committees
of
the
petitions
committee,
I,
attended,
I've
shown
me.
N
Any
movement
has
been
both
superficial
and
slight.
Now
I
welcome
the
some
of
the
moves
been
made
by
the
government
bodies
at
the
behest
of
the
committee
and
Scottish
government,
but
to
all
times
they
appear
to
have
been
dragged,
kicking
and
screaming
to
those
possessions,
for
example,
the
aforementioned
six
years
it
took
from
the
lodging
of
the
petition
for
the
SFA
to
assure
guidance
that
children
should
be
fleet
free
to
play
for
the
school
teams,
but
with
no
monitoring
fewer
children
and
young
people
are
aware
of
this
charge.
That's
change
for
me.
N
That's
highlighted
what
I
saw
when
I
attended
those
committees
and
ask
questions
of
the
SFA
any
SPFL.
There
was
an
arrogance,
a
dismissiveness,
a
blank,
honest
brother,
but
they
seemed
to
be
driven
by
the
chosen
few
at
the
top
of
the
game
and
have
absolutely
very
little
regard
for
the
impact
on
their
decisions
on
the
young
people
of
Scotland.
Any
young
people
whose
dreams
as
Rona
McKay
very
eloquently
put
whose
dreams
they
are
shattering
and
they're
not
upholding.
N
We
have
a
duty
and
a
responsibility
to
make
sure
that
people
who
get
involved
in
a
scheme
when
they
leave
the
professional
game,
leave
it
still
loving
the
game
and
go
on
to
take
all
the
benefits
that
comes
from
football.
Oh
the
camera,
that
is,
he
gay
all
the
lifelong
friends
that
you
make
plus,
of
course,
the
fitness
and
health
benefits
that
go
with
any
sport.
No,
the
the
my
good
friend
comrade
and
comrade
a
new
family,
the
convener
of
their
health
and
sport
to
me,
had
asked
a
question
of
the
Stewart
regen.
N
That's
the
number
of
questions
of
Stewart
regen
and
one
of
the
responses.
One
of
the
questions
was:
does
the
Scottish
FA
use
profits
from
coach
education
courses
which
are
paid
by
youth
organisations
and
then
anyway,
fund
and
the
vigils
are
sorted
with
professional
football
clubs?
The
answer
which
is
a
typical
football
body
answer
if
you're
asking
whether
we
take
profit
from
the
grassroots
games
and
give
it
to
professional
game.
The
answer
is
no.
The
next
sentence
says
if
you're
asking
whether
we
offer
discounted
places
to
individuals
associated
with
professional
clubs.
N
N
Mike
watch
I
used
to
run
nearly
under-20
ones,
and
we
had
a
really
really
good
team
and
the
one
team
that
we
beat
once
I
think
in
the
six
years
I
saw
was,
can
see
Black
Watch,
with
Jerry
Marley
running
that
Jerry's
know
what
85
he's
been
captured
by
quad
she's
been
there
for
74
years,
just
what
her
would
1966
I
believe
you
wouldn't
know
it.
Looking
at
well
I
up
there,
he
only
looks
a
bit
for,
but
they
they've
been
on
the
go,
and
it's
clubs
like
that's
that
we
have
to
protect.
N
We
should
never
never
allow
a
situation
where
clubs
like
that
are
paying
for
professional
football.
Money
should
be
coming
this
way.
It
should
not
be
traveling
up
to
those
who
already
make
a
good,
loving
and
make
plenty
of
money
at
the
game
of
football,
and
it
certainly
shouldn't
be
youth
football.
Less
money.
Less
money
should
be
used
to
protect
our
children.
It
should
be
used
to
improve
the
football
that
of
children.
They
are
Ganton
and
we
don't
get
that
from
the
sfv
any
SPF
fell.
N
There
was
there
was
a
question
about
their
the
minimum
wage,
the
national
minimum
wage
and
about
the
pound
a
week
and
the
three-year
contracts.
Unfortunately,
those
does
not
really
take
for
me
talking.
I
could
be
here
for
an
hour
40
minutes,
but
no
I
couldn't
I,
know
presiding
officer
all
Academy,
but
but
you
know
when
I
asked
them,
they
talked
about
appearance,
money
being
part
of
the
pound
a
week
contract
which
would
make
up
to
the
living
wage.
They
first
of
all
I
believe
that's
illegal,
but
secondly,
when
I
asked
them.
N
If
something
who
then
trained
three
nights
a
week,
travel
to
Aberdeen
Wars
on
the
bench
never
got
on
the
part
the
teachers
get
spend
a
week.
The
answer
mm-hmm
complete
waffle,
nothing
and
that's
what
we're
dealing
with
here.
I
do
not
believe
that
if
we
leave
this
to
the
the
sfe
and
SPFL,
we
will
come
out
of
this
and
a
place
where
our
young
kids
are
enthusiastic.
Continue
to
be
enthusiastic
about
football
I
saw
what
happened
a
long
time
ago
with
my
boy
when
he
left
and
he
was
fed
up.
N
We
scorch
football
and
ended
up
going
to
play
in
a
few
yeah.
I,
do
not
believe
that
we
should
still
be
in
the
same
situation
25
years
later
than
we
were
back
then,
and
therefore
I
think
that
the
SFA
and
the
SPFL
have
to
be
made
to
do
the
right
things,
because
I
can
assure
you
they
will
not
do
of
their
own
accord.
Thank
you.
Thank.
H
O
Thank
You,
deputy
presiding
officer
I'm
very
pleased
to
be
taking
part
in
this
debate
and
for
some
of
the
reasons
that
James
Dornan
has
just
enunciated
in
a
way
that
I
thought
was
particularly
interesting.
I
wouldn't
call
you
comrade
mr.
Dorn
I
think
that
would
go
against
the
green,
but
nonetheless
I
thought
I,
thought
you
sport
with
considerable
passion
there
and
identified
an
awful
lot
of
the
issues
that
have
been
thrown
up
by
this
petition.
So
thank
you
for
that.
O
But
I'm
also
pleased
because
of
somebody
who's
been
very
much
involved
in
school
sport
for
the
best
part
of
40
years.
I
think
it
is
and
I
think
whilst
I
am
by
no
means
an
expert
in
football
or
in
its
coaching
I
hope.
I
can
speak
with
some
authority
about
some
of
the
relevance
of
the
issues
that
are
raised
by
this
and
can
I
just
pay
credit
to
the
minister
who
took
the
time
three
weeks
ago.
O
I
think
it
was
to
come
to
sterling
to
look
at
a
new
initiative
called
Beyond,
Boundaries
and
I
must
declare
an
interest
in
that.
But
thank
you
for
coming
because
I
think
that
was
a
a
mark
of
what
the
Scottish
Government
is
supporting
to
try
and
develop
sport
for
people
who
perhaps
would
have
any
chance
whatsoever
to
get
involved.
O
As
John
Lamont
said
when
she
opened,
football
is
obviously
very
much
part
of
the
national
psyche,
not
always
for
a
good
reason,
but
generally
it's
very
positive
for
the
country's
collective
mood
is
most
easily
taken
by
observing
the
fortunes
of
those
in
dark
blue
at
Hamden,
but
for
all,
but
their
chosen
few.
This
national
obsession
is
taken
probably
a
little
further
than
if
you
are
standing
in
the
in
a
football
match
or
sitting
in
the
stands
of
watching
it
on
TV.
O
Not
surprisingly,
the
vast
majority
don't
end
up
playing
for
the
senior
side
or
even
professionally,
but
I
think
some
of
the
comments
that
runamuck
I
made
in
her
speech
are
absolutely
apt
and
we
need
to
take
on
board
exactly
what
disappointment
can
do
to
youngsters,
particularly
if
they
are
young
but
beyond.
The
emotional
issues
are
practical
difficulties
too,
with
children
often
continuing
to
sacrifice
parts
of
their
traditional
education
to
pursue
football.
O
For
example,
I
noted
that
this
year,
because
internationals
playing
in
a
tournament
abroad
were
actually
accompanied
by
an
sqe
invigilator
in
order
to
sit
their
exams
and
I
cannot
imagine
that
that
situation
is
particularly
conducive
to
studying
and
good
grades.
But
it
is
an
example
that
serves
to
illustrate
the
pressure
that
is
on
many
young
people
to
be
able
to
balance
their
life
in
sport
and
obviously
in
education
and
I,
think
the
demands
of
international
sport.
These
days
are
increasing
and
not
always
in
a
good
way,
but
for
youngsters
who
do
not
make
it.
O
Clubs
must
be
on
hand
to
offer
the
proper
emotional
and
mental
health
support
because
dealing
with
the
setbacks,
it
may
be
part
of
life,
but
a
few
children
will
actually
experience
such
a
brutal
education
and
disap
appointment
as
what
happens
when
they
lose
out
at
a
young
age.
A
couple
of
speakers
before
me
have
said
that
football
is
like
no
other
industry.
That's
true.
The
finances
in
elite
football
operate
in
a
different
world,
with
clubs
routinely
playing
ping
for
potential
rather
than
established
talent.
O
We've
just
had
a
summer
where
an
18
year
old
was
signed
for
a
hundred
and
forty
seven
million
euros
clearly
nurturing
a
talented
child
into
a
fully
developed
profession
is
big
business
and
no
one
should
appear
to
say
anything
else.
In
Scotland
we
have
the
world's
richest
and
biggest
league
on
our
doorstep,
and
this
undoubtedly
complicates
matters
for
youth
academies.
Clubs
who
investigate,
invest
in
coaches
and
facilities
would
not
do
so
if
a
rival
could
swoop
in
and
sign
a
player
without
any
compensation
in
any
other
industry.
O
O
Think
that
perhaps,
is
one
of
the
most
difficult
things
that
we
have
to
do
with
players
registering
at
younger
ages
and
only
55
percent
of
parents
saying
that
they
fully
understand
the
terms
and
James
Doran
referred
to
this
many
feel
intimidated,
but
they
also
feel
shy
about
professional
representation
and
I
was
shocked
to
learn
that
children
as
young
as
12
I
have
intermediaries
and
their
own
agents.
I
was
even
more
shocked
to
learn
that
for
the
most
part,
these
years
it's
not
required
to
have
passed
any
of
the
checks
that
we
would
expect.
O
I'd
like
to
finish
my
remarks
on
what
I
see
as
one
of
the
opportunities
that
we
have
and
can
I
use
Iceland
as
the
example,
because
they've
invested
a
huge
amount
in
indoor
facilities
and
they've
made
more
of
the
UEFA
coaches
per
capita
than
any
other
in
Europe,
and
last
summer
we
saw
the
fruits
that
their
investment
was
very
clear.
Many
million
chamber
enjoyed
that
experience.
I
can't
lie,
but
we
did
but
I
think
in
Iceland.
They
have
made
made
it
their
business
to
try
to
get
behind.
O
I,
think
a
lot
of
the
provision
of
indoor
facilities
and
in
improving
the
availability
of
coaches
and
professional
coaches
has
made
that
more
possible
deputies
later
officer
I'm
running
out
of
time,
but
I
do
want
to
say
my
congratulations
to
the
petitioners,
but
also
to
the
parliamentarians
who
I
think
have
taken
up
this
issue
with
very
considerable
enthusiasm
and
with
passion,
and
it
is
incumbent
upon
all
of
us
to
be
able
to
address
it
and
do
something
positive
so
that
all
our
children,
whatever
their
standard,
are
benefiting.
Thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
P
You
presiding
officer
as
a
member
of
the
Health
&
Sport
Committee
I,
became
aware
of
this
petition
during
our
consideration
of
child
protection
and
support
in
the
course
of
this
year.
The
petitioners
have
not
only
highlighted
matters
of
serious
concern
in
the
original
petition,
but
through
their
tenaciousness
and
the
process
of
diligent
scrutiny
of
the
Scottish
Parliament.
Other
matters
have
come
to
light,
as
others
have
said.
P
It's
a
measure
of
cumulative
concerns
that
this
2b
is
taking
place
and
I'm
very
grateful
to
the
petitions
committee
for
allowing
the
opportunity
to
bring
the
important
discussion
to
the
chamber.
I'd
also
like
to
thank
Tom
Bailey,
the
former
children
and
young
people's
commissioner
in
Scotland,
for
his
work
on
this
over
the
years
and
also
for
the
briefing
which
he
provided
for
this
to
be
much
of
which
I'll
cite
my
contribution.
P
The
health
and
sport
committee
began
looking
into
the
systems
and
through
phases
of
child
protection
and
sport
in
the
week
of
allegations
of
historical
child,
sexual
abuse
in
football.
Given
these
allegations
and
the
fact
that
the
BBC
uncovered
a
large
backlog
in
PVG
checking
and
youth
football,
we
wanted
to
assure
ourselves
that
today's
systems
would
prevent
unsuitable
folk
from
doing
regulated
work
with
children
in
any
sport.
P
Excuse
me.
They
only
began
overhauling
their
procedures
following
criticism,
there's
been
some
encouraging
changes
to
address
problems
and,
in
fact,
recently,
at
our
most
recent
evidence
session
on
this
topic,
disclosure
Scotland
chief
executive
Lorna
Gibbs
told
us
that
the
sy
Fe
was
on
a
journey
to
a
better
place,
I'm
delighted
with
that
progress,
but
I
would
suggest
that
they
need
to
go
further.
During
my
evidence
session
on
the
5th
of
September,
it
became
apparent
that
neither
of
the
two
members
of
the
8th
yfv
present
mr.
Duncan
Me's
and
mr.
P
John
McLean
Clement,
had
completed
child
protection
training.
This
was
despite
their
being
senior
members
involved
in
the
youth
football
for
many
decades
and
in
the
current
sy
Fe
since
1999
again,
this
seems
completely
incredible,
given
their
need
to
demonstrate
leadership
and
their
need
for
awareness
of
child
protection
issues.
Pvg
checking
is
just
a
small
part
of
childhood
a
protection,
so
it's
impossible
for
us
that
the
committee
to
have
complete
confidence
that
the
SFA
and
sy
Fe
are
aware
and
proactive
around
the
entirety
of
the
issue.
P
Now,
as
Tam
Bailey
says,
the
defining
mission
of
this
petition
is
to
expose
the
abuse
of
power
and
control
over
children
and
young
people
by
professional
football
clubs
in
Scotland
over
many
years.
The
concern
is
that
football
clubs
cynically
exploit
the
ambitions
of
young
people
that
they
exert
unacceptable
levels
of
restriction
in
control
and
that
football
authorities
defend
current
Crusaders
and
demonstrate
in
intransigence
to
change.
The
consequence
of
all
of
this
is
that
football
authorities
piece
scant
regard
to
their
monitoring
rule
and
children
have
weak
protection
of
their
rights.
P
As
others
have
mentioned,
the
vast
majority
of
children
who
get
involved
with
professional
football
clubs
do
not
have
long-term
employment
prospects
and
many
are
left
disillusioned.
In
a
letter
to
the
health
and
sport
committee,
Tom
Bailey
said
my
main
concern
is
the
power
imbalance
and
unfair
treatment
of
children
involved
with
professional
clubs,
places
professional
football
clubs
in
a
very
powerful
profit
position,
with
children,
desperate
to
realize
their
dreams
and,
as
a
result,
vulnerable
to
exploitation.
In
my
experience,
the
system
and
police
gifts
can
regard
to
the
best
interest
of
the
children
involved.
P
At
the
committee
hearing
we
raised
concerns
about
the
commodification
of
children
with
terms
being
used
such
as
investment
and
compensation.
He
disagreed
saying
what
we
are
talking
about
is
a
pathway
to
develop
elite
players
which
works
in
every
other
country
across
Europe.
There
is
a
process
to
ensure
that
clubs
are
investing
a
lot
of
time.
Energy
resource
in
developing
elite
players
and
have
a
suitable
compensation
mechanism.
We
have
a
duty
to
develop
elite
players.
If
we
want
to
be
successful
on
the
international
stage,
the
process
is
clear
and
transparent.
P
P
He
may
think
this
is
sufficient,
but
it
seems
obvious
to
me
into
fellow
committee
members
that
there
is
a
power
imbalance,
there's
a
power
imbalance
between
clubs
and
children
because
of
the
contracts
that
children
and
young
people
sign
and
the
conditions
are
imposed
upon
them
a
contract
or
they
may
call
it
a
registration
is
involved
which,
whilst
offering
opportunities
and
benefits,
also
limits
freedom
power
in
this
situation
is
the
amount
of
controller
influence
that
one
party
has,
over
the
other.
How
much
influence
that
is
over
decision-making.
P
Add
to
this
picture
that
coaches
themselves
they're
often
heroes
or
become
idolized
and
positioned
as
powerful
figures
in
the
lives
of
young
athletes
and
clubs
are
packed
with
their
idols.
There's
an
exchange
relationship
which
coaches
and
clubs
contributing
with
coaches
and
clubs,
contributing
knowledge
and
expertise
and
athletes,
a
willingness
to
learn
and
a
high
level
of
effort
and
compliance.
Of
course.
In
this
view,
it
is
the
coaches
and
clubs
which
hold
the
power
in
the
relationship,
a
relationship
where
one
individual
is
fully
compliant
to
the
other
is
one
that
can
be
seen
to
have
a.
P
Q
Thank
you
very
much
therapy
presiding
officer,
I
think
it's
actually
been
an
excellent
debate
and
a
Shirin
Parliament
at
its
best
as
people
from
across
the
chamber.
People
who
have
been
on
the
committee's
some
who
have
got
an
interest
in
sport
have
brought
their
kind
of
real
depth
and
feel
into
the
debate
and
I.
Think,
as
you
know,
that
has
some
excellent
points
like
ours.
Q
I
want
to
thank
the
petitioners
for
bringing
it
bringing
the
issues
for
what
I
think
they
do
saw
not
just
on
behalf
of
their
own
concerns,
but
they
do
so
on
behalf
of
the
many
many
boys,
girls,
parents
and
volunteers
who
participate
in
youth
football
throughout
the
country.
I
think
there
are
two
issues
that
I
would
want
to
bring
out
the
the
lack
of
wellbeing
towards
their
children
participating
in
football
and
how
we
improve
participation
and
access
and
in
terms
of
the
the
well-being,
our
children.
Q
There's
been
a
real
fall
down
listening
to
members
and
reading
the
evidence
in
terms
of
contracts
and
registration.
You
know
the
fact
that
under
sixteens
can
be
tied
up
on
on
three-year
contract.
I
think
somebody
said
you
know:
kids
as
young
as
name
been
signed
up
on
registrations.
You
know
it's
just
an
absolute
scandal.
Q
It
just
shouldn't
happen
that
are
clearly
you
know,
payments
that
are
made
below
legal
requirements
and
also
an
appropriate,
an
appropriate
level
and
I
think
the
theme
that
runs
through
always
that
was
just
a
complete
lack
of
any
kind
of
proper
nor
the
process.
It
would
appear
that
the
the
view
of
the
SFA
in
the
SPFL
has
almost
you
know
complacent,
like
city
is
achill,
you
know
what.
Why
are
you
bothering
about
these
things?
Q
You
know
at
Mars,
because
so
many
thousands
of
kids
participate
every
weekend
up
and
down
the
country
and
he
did
and
he
deserve
to
to
be
treated
properly.
And
surely
it's
not
the
work
of
these
organizations
to
ensure
that
the
some
kind
of
central
registration
process
with
minimum
requirements
that
ensure
that
our
kids
are
looked
after
properly.
I,
also
think
it's
shocking
that
the
contribution
James
James
done
and
made
when
he
spoke
about
the
the
way.
The
way
money
falls
in
football
and
the
way
the
grass
roots
aren't
properly
supported.
Q
You
know,
there's
a
real
reluctance
and
from
the
football
and
bodies
to
allow
any
order
of
not
just
the
order
of
public
money
and
how
shoes,
but
how
the
money
actually
flaws
and
I
think
you
know,
supporters
and
people
would
participate.
Those
of
us
when
interested
would
be
with
a
real
concern
that
the
lack
of
transparency
I.
Don't
that
and
I
think
it
the
the
fact
that
it's
taken
since
2000
and
the
best
petition
has
been
running
since
2010
and
many
of
the
issues
still
haven't
been
addressed.
Q
There's
a
real
real
problem
and
you
know
I
just
think
that
the
art,
the
the
attitude
of
the
saf
in
ESP
FL,
has
been
shortened
and
all
that
the
that,
on
our
shaman
oppas
Guney
addressed
the
government's
way
forward.
I
think
there's
a
real
issue
for
the
government.
Here.
It's
clear
that
the
SFA
in
the
SPFL
are
not
going
to
take
the
action.
That's
required,
I.
Think
the
government
Nonie
say:
oh
how
they
are
going
to
enforce
some
kind
of
responsibility
here.
I
think
the
other
issue
is
around.
Q
You
know:
participation
in
sports
and
I
enjoyed
Brian
wattles.
You
know
Chuck
bike
through
time
through
all
the
the
World
Cups,
so
I.
Remember
them
all!
Well,
some
breaks
bark
over
here
saying:
why
did
he
not
mention
Costa,
Rica
and
but
you
know
alien
Campbell
really
challenged
on
us
to
you
know?
Why
could
we
do
it
then,
and
not?
Do
it
no
and
I
think
a
lot
of
it
is
to
do
with
participation
when
I
go
back
to
the
area
where
I
grew
up
and
in
half
way
the
two
large
canno
green
parks.
Q
If
you're
like
like
a
Ganassi
parks,
if
you
like,
there
aren't
even
formal
football
pitches
and
in
the
middle
of
the
scheme
that
I
grew
up,
I
stole
there,
but
still
well-maintained
of
the
walkways,
an
association
heard.
F1
says
they're
completely
empty.
You
know.
Where
is
when
I
grew
up?
There
was
you
know
people
were
playing
and
them
all
over
the
summer
in
the
winter.
Well,
just
football,
but
golf
and
even
had
an
odd
game.
Q
You
need
to
have
a
lot
of
the
equipment
which
is
which
can
be
a
barrier
to
people
taking
part
and
I
know
I'm.
Getting
to
my
final
point
is
that
there
needs
to
be.
We
need
to
have
an
honest
discussion,
a
bit
fun,
and
you
know,
because
if
you
want
your
full
G
patches,
you
want
to
have
higher
levels
of
participation.
You
want
to
get
you
bring
more
and
scale
players
on.
Then
you
need
talk
about
how
you're
going
to
fund
that
thank
you.
I'm.
H
R
You,
presiding
officer
and
I
remain
members
under
PL
o
to
the
cabinet
secretary
for
education,
as
I
mean
it's
because
some
of
my
experiences
as
a
teacher
I
during
my
speech
today,
as
we've
heard
from
many
of
today's
contributions,
youth
football
for
more
starts
in
school
and
certainly
for
me.
It
started
in
primary
school.
I
will
remember
the
day
in
1995
when
I
as
a
striker
for
the
p-series
primary
girls
team,
scored
the
winning
goal
against
the
p5
boys
team.
The
thing
is
presiding
officer.
R
The
boys
thought
they
had
it
in
the
back
sure
we
were
one
year
older,
but
we
were
girls
and
they
were
boys.
We
annihilated
them
that
day
and
I.
Remember
the
buzz
of
adrenalin
dodging
the
ball
at
only
Galli
speaks
the
sweet
look
of
disbelief
in
his
eyes.
So
why
else?
Today's
debate
is
about
youth
football.
We
should
also
be
cognizing
of
gender
stereotypes
when
it
comes
to
sport
and
its
accessibility,
indeed,
and
written
evidence
to
this
Parliament's
health
and
sport
committee.
R
R
Graphic
is
the
framework
on
which
the
school
curriculum
in
Scotland
is
predicated
to
get
it
right
for
every
child.
We
see
in
our
schools
that
every
child
should
have
an
equality
of
access
when
it
comes
to
their
learning.
That
is
often
not
the
case
when
it
comes
to
sports.
It
is
not
the
case,
often
in
our
secondary
schools,
where
the
availability
of
certain
sport
options
is
dependent
upon
the
specialism
of
the
PE
teacher
present,
or
indeed
the
hockey-playing
Martin
studies
teacher.
Furthermore,
it
remains
the
case
that
sports
and
opportunities
in
Scottish
schools
are
gendered.
R
When
this
position
first
came
to
Parliament
back
in
2010,
I
was
teaching
in
a
school
not
far
from
here.
For
female
pupils,
dance
was
the
main
sports
for
boys.
It
was
rugby
and
football.
Improving
youth
football
shouldn't
just
be
about
the
boys,
as
sadly
the
image
on
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
website,
which
have
you
believed
today.
We
know
that
today,
more
children
are
no
active.
R
The
SNP
manifesto
commitment
witnessed
an
increase
in
children,
doing
tears
or
periods
of
PE
a
week
from
less
than
10
percent
in
2004
2005
to
98
percent
in
2016,
and
we
know
that
PE
at
PE
has
a
positive
impact
on
people's
health.
Furthermore,
sport
helps
to
focus
children
in
class,
improving
their
attainment
and
that
achievement,
as
Brian
Watts
Hill
alluded
to
in
his
opening
remarks.
Anyone
who's
ever
taught
a
class
of
teenagers
after
PE
will
know
that
to
be
the
case.
R
Child
Protection
is
a
fundamental
part
of
teacher
training
in
faith
council,
for
example,
a
child
protection.
A
new
update
is
provided
to
schools
in
June,
which
is
presented
to
all
staff
by
the
head
teacher
or
the
child
protection
coordinator.
This
includes
janitorial
staff,
travel,
air
sports
and
catering
and
cleaning
staff.
I
accept
youth.
Football
is
different
in
that
respect.
It's
largely
staffed
by
volunteers.
So,
let's
look
at
the
scouts.
Their
policy
States
all
adults
in
regulated
work.
R
Ask
for
example,
leaders
undertake
a
PV
G
and
are
required
to
complete
induction
training
prior
to
taking
up
their
role.
This
includes
mandatory.
Safeguarding
training
is
a
requirement.
The
safeguarding
training
be
renewed,
at
least
every
five
years.
However,
as
my
colleague
Murray
taught
has
already
alluded
to
today
in
an
evidence
session,
this
promotes
health
and
sport
committee.
Earlier
this
month,
it
transpired
that
two
members,
two
senior
members
rather
of
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association,
had
no
recent
child
protection
training
and
only
one
of
them
held
a
valid
PVG.
R
The
sy
FA
spoke
about
PVG
training
nights
as
if
it
were
a
hoop
to
be
jumped
through,
as
opposed
to
a
serious
part
of
how
you
deal
with
training
and
supporting
young
people
in
football,
and
the
chairman
of
the
Scottish
Youth
Football
Association
told
the
committee
that
the
sy
FA
held
child
welfare
Knights,
but
that
these
Knights
were
not
compulsory
presiding
officer.
Child
welfare
is
a
very
different
thing
to
tell
protection,
as
mentioned
today
by
Luna
Makai.
R
The
SFA
has,
as
of
last
September,
appointed
a
children's
rights
and
well-being
officer,
and
that
is
to
be
welcomed.
However,
within
the
same
evidence
session,
the
SFA
could
not
tell
me
what
impact
that
individual
had
had.
They
could
not
tell
me
if
that
individual
worked
with
individual
clubs
to
ensure
child
protection.
Training
was
happening
as
a
matter
of
course,
and
between
both
the
SFA
and
the
sy
Fe.
R
That
appears
to
be
a
systemic
lack
of
understanding
of
the
child
protection
training,
which
should
accompany
the
PVG
application
process,
and
this
was
epitomized
by
the
consistent
conflation
of
children's
rights
with
child
protection
throughout
the
evidence
session.
The
fundamental
issue
at
play
when
it
comes
to
improving
youth
football
and
Scotland
is
that
there
is
currently
no
consistent
approach
to
child
protection
training,
which
should
sit
alongside
PVG
any
PVG
application
and
as
an
individual
who
spent
most
of
her
professional
life.
As
a
teacher.
R
I
simply
cannot
believe
in
2017
that
child
protection
is
not
being
taken
seriously
by
those
who
work
in
use
of
football.
Not
only
laugh,
but
there
appears
to
be
a
chronic
lack
of
understanding
about
what
child
protection
is.
I.
Do
appreciate
that
the
Minister
for
sport
has
written
to
all
sports
and
governing
bodies
in
Scotland
to
ask
them
to
reflect
on
their
current
policies
and
procedures
and
to
check
that
these
are
adequate
to
protect
children.
R
Taking
part
in
sport
and
I'm
sure
that
my
fellow
health
and
sport
committee
members
would
welcome
any
update
that
she's
able
to
offer
today
on
us
presiding
officer.
If
we
are
to
get
it
right
for
every
child
in
the
classroom,
then
would
she
aspire
to
do
so
on
the
football
pitch
as
well,
and
can
I
finish
by
congratulating
the
petitioners
on
their
efforts
to
improve
youth
football.
For
all.
Thank
you
thank.
H
S
You
definitely
presiding
officer
and
I'd
like
to
echo
the
thanks
to
the
petitioners
for
raising
this
very
important
subject
and
to
the
convener
for
bringing
it
to
the
chamber
throughout
Scotland
and
indeed
the
world.
There
will
be
countless
boys
and
girls
who
have
at
least
once
dreamed
of
scoring
the
winning
goal
for
their
club
or
country,
and
childhood
is
the
time
for
such
dreams.
We
can
and
should
encourage
our
children
to
pursue
their
ambitions,
but
not
blindly,
because
when
a
child
becomes
involved
in
youth
football,
perhaps
when
joining
their
first
club
or
Academy.
S
Many
will
see
this
as
the
first
step
on
the
road
to
a
professional
career
and
to
the
fulfilment
of
their
dreams.
However,
reality
for
most
is
very
different,
presiding
officer.
Football
is
now
a
global
business,
but
the
commercialization
of
the
game
has
been
a
process
not
an
event
gradually,
but
evidentially.
The
money
circulating
through
the
veins
of
the
beautiful
game
has
grown
exponentially.
S
Billions
of
pounds
for
Premier
League,
TV
rights,
six-figure
wages
per
week,
and
almost
200
million
for
the
transfer
of
a
single
player
this
summer
and
sadly
youth
football
in
Scotland,
has
not
been
immune
to
this
trend.
The
petitions
committee
has
heard
that
children
and
young
people
are
being
treated
as
commodities
by
the
very
clubs
who
are
supposed
to
nurture
their
talent
and
encourage
their
development.
The
mental
and
physical
well-being
of
these
young
athletes
often
comes
a
poor
second
to
the
perceived
needs
of
the
club.
S
My
colleague,
Bram
Whittle
was
absolutely
right
when
he
said
in
committee
that
clubs
are
trading
on
the
dreams
of
young
players
and,
in
this
context,
I
do
not
accept
the
submissions
that
Neill
Doncaster
made
in
his
capacity
as
chief
executive
officer
of
the
SPFL
that
the
existence
of
an
SFA
of
dispute
resolution
mechanism
renders
this
system
acceptable.
It
does
not
put
yourself
in
the
position
of
a
young
player
believing
their
dream
is
within
their
grasp.
S
Would
you
complain
when
it
could
mean
you
are
not
selected
for
the
team
that
you're
sidelined
altogether
or
released
from
your
contract?
The
club
holds
all
the
cards
in
this
registration
agreement
and
we
need
to
see
action
taken
at
the
top
level
to
address
this.
The
need
for
further
robust
protection
of
young
people
in
this
context
is
particularly
potent
in
the
case
of
15
year-olds
tied
to
inflexible
to
three-year
deals
with
clubs
as
rod.
S
Huston
of
the
SS
ss
SS
FA
noted
at
committee
back
in
December
the
years
between
15
and
17
are
a
tumultuous
time
for
many
young
boys.
They
are
faced
with
the
twin
realizations
that
a
football
career
may
never
materialize
and
therefore
their
education
exams
actually
count
to
snare.
A
young
person
to
a
rigid
ideal
for
three
years
is
neither
fair
nor
constructive.
S
I,
therefore
agree
with
the
former
Children's
Commissioner
Tom
Bailey
that
we
should
move
toward
a
system
of
annual
lapse
in
registration
and
further
towards
empowering
young
people
to
terminate
registration
without
net
with
notice
but
presiding
officer.
There
is
a
deeper,
more
fundamental
issue.
It
is
clear
from
the
abundance
of
contracts
and
compensation
that
football
clubs
and
youth
academies
are
casting
their
net
far
too
wide
in
order
to
reap
the
financial
benefits
from
as
many
young
people
as
possible
when
only
4%
of
so-called
elite
players
go
on
to
a
professional
career.
S
It
is
clear
we
are
erecting
a
house
of
cards
of
speculation
and
false
hope.
The
committee
has
heard
evidence
of
young
people
putting
education
on
the
back
burner
because
it
doesn't
matter
I'm
going
to
be
a
footballer
for
many.
The
dream
will
not
be
realized
for
many,
the
dream
will
end
in
disillusionment
with
a
sport
they
once
loved.
There
is
much
to
learn
in
this
regard
from
the
German
Academy
approach,
tempering
expectations,
smaller
intakes,
more
investment
per
head
and
an
unwavering
an
equivalent
emphasis
on
education.
S
I
therefore
welcome
project,
brave
and
hope
it
will
be
the
catalyst
for
the
changes
that
are
so
badly
needed
in
closing.
Football
is
a
source
of
joy
and,
of
course,
frustration.
If
you
support
the
wrong
team
for
young
and
old,
it
is
still
our
national
game.
It
can
unite
families
and
friends,
colleagues
and
strangers
from
all
backgrounds
behind
one
badge
or
one
flag,
and
it
has
the
power
to
do
so.
Much
good
for
communities
up
and
down
our
country.
S
Just
look
at
the
game
for
Grandville,
as
if
you
need
an
example,
but
the
youth
game
is
enveloped
by
profit
orientation
at
the
club
level
and
in
transience
at
the
governing
body.
It's
time
to
move
away
from
diamond
prospecting,
return
to
a
focus
on
young
people,
playing
the
game,
developing
their
skills
and
developing
a
lifelong
love
of
the
game,
because
if
we
continue
down
this
path
of
putting
balance
sheets
ahead
of
Boys
Clubs,
the
beautiful
game
will
become
very
ugly.
Indeed.
Thank.
T
I
want
to
remain
the
chamber
of
what
that
submission
said.
It
said
currently
too
many
children
are
saying
what
they
genuinely
believe
is
a
contract
from
as
young
as
ten
years.
Yet
children's
choice
and
control
do
not
appear
to
be
featured
in
the
current
system.
The
terms
are
not
fully
understood
and
the
children,
young
people
have
no
certainty
of
their
race.
The
current
system
recognizes
the
investment
of
private
companies
in
developing
young
players.
However,
the
system
does
not
recognize
the
investment
of
players
and
their
families
emotionally
practically
and
financially
in
developing
young
players
football
skills.
T
This
imbalance
is
not
recognized
in
terms
of
mutual
rates
and
obligations.
Presenting
officer
we
have
in
front
of
us
today
a
petition
that
raises
questions
about
both
the
specific
practices
of
football
clubs
and
the
football
authorities
and
the
wider
inequalities
and
disparities
in
Scottish
football
members
have
covered
both
of
those
issues
today
across
a
range
of
contributions
that
I
want
to
focus
on
the
progression
from
grassroots
football
in
communities
like
the
police's
I
represent
in
REM
Fisher
through
to
the
youth
system.
T
Of
course
they
do,
but
as
local
coaches
like
Ian,
McMillan
and
thorne,
athletic
and
Johnston
pointed
out
to
me,
although
they
want
their
kids
to
go
into
bigger
and
better
things
in
terms
of
football.
We
also
have
to
recognize
the
heavy
pressures
and
the
and
the
heavy
demands
that
have
been
put
on
young
people
in
football.
Not
only
will
the
between
and
a
couple
of
nights
a
week
and
then
playing
a
couple
of
games
at
the
weekend.
That's
a
huge
commitment
in
itself.
T
There's
a
lot
of
travel
involved
and
a
lot
of
cost
involved
as
well.
It's
not
too
bad
for
kids
from
my
area
after
playing
for
saint-meran
or
Morton,
but
because
that's
not
too
far
away,
but
there's
a
number
of
kids
on
ham
to
go
to
mother,
Oh,
Hamilton,
camana
and
further
afield
peak
times,
and
it
means
their
school.
D
is
different
from
other
kids.
T
It
means
that
they
get
there
the
T
later
and
the
school
life
can
suffer
as
a
result
in
''tis
should
not
be
denied
to
young
people
because
they
are
choosing
to
walk
through
the
youth
system.
Nonetheless,
I
think
we
have
to
recognize
that
League
clubs
provide
the
best
gear
and
the
best
patches,
but
they
also
have
a
duty
to
provide
the
best
conditions
in
terms
of
P
and
in
terms
of
all-round
support.
T
It's
also
been
said
to
me
that
too
many
kids
from
poorer
backgrounds
are
actually
missing
out
on
opportunities,
they're
missing
out
because
of
problems
with
travelling
course
or
because
they
just
want
to
play
football
with
non
meets,
and
they
must
tale.
Is
that
most
tailors
that
the
current
system
isn't
working
for
everyone?
I?
Think
James
Kelly
made
some
important
point
about
participation
in
football,
but
regardless
of
whether
young
people
make
it
and
fit
not
the
relationship
that
they
have
with
clubs
can
on
too
many
occasions
be
weighted
against
the
Vezina
office.
T
Others,
gyms,
Donna
and
James
Kelly
have
said
money
in
football
is
far
too
top-heavy.
Wayne
Rooney
for
examples
approaching
retirement
is
on
a
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
pounds
a
week,
and
certainly
on
those
benches,
we
think
he
could
pay
a
little
more
tax
em.
But
celtic
celtic
as
well
are
reported
to
be
making
thirty
million
pounds
from
their
participation
and
the
Champions
League
this
year.
T
There
is
plenty
of
money
in
football,
isn't
just
getting
Shearer,
though
sensibly
enough,
and
if
it
was,
we
may
have
more
support
for
local
your
football
teams
if
it
was
them
and
maybe
wouldn't
have
16
or
17
year
old,
footballers
and
contracts
that
do
not
pay
the
minimum
wage.
Let's
be
clear.
Payment
of
the
minimum
wage
is
not
optional,
it's
a
legal
requirement
and
must
be
paid,
and
it
must
be
paid
in
Scottish
football
too.
T
We've
also
discussed
the
clubs,
our
club
academies,
registration
and
compensation
system
for
younger
children,
a
system
that
has
been
described
as
a
transfer
market
in
children.
Over
the
years,
concern
has
been
expressed
both
abou
regulated
activity
within
the
system
and
unregulated
activity
that
some
have
said
could
be
hidden
from
parents.
There
has
to
be
proper
monitoring,
and
parents
must
have
confidence
that
young
people
are
not
at
risk
of
exploitation.
The
same
officer
sends
public
funds
go
into
the
game.
T
The
Scottish
government
could
and
should
ensure
there's
a
kind
of
auditing
and
accountability,
or
the
petitioners
have
called
for
to
shine
a
light
on
the
disparities
that
have
already
been
mentioned,
and,
crucially
in
the
Minister,
should
take
action
to
challenge
the
SFA
and
SPFL
to
address
the
inequalities
and
injustice.
There's
too
many
young
people
say
not
to
and
once
a
the
contracts.
We
also
need
to
support
grassroots
football.
More
generally,
that
means
alone
you
young
people,
to
make
use
of
good,
well-maintained,
affordable
facilities.
T
Many
clubs
in
my
community
love
week
to
week
month
to
month-
and
it's
not
easy
just
to
ask
the
parents
to
keep
on
paying
more,
not
only
other
concerns
about
payments
to
players
that
are
real.
What
is
a
big
cost
to
in
my
area,
the
recent
labor
demonstration
on
emphasis
will
reduced
and
inflows
charges
on
football
patches
for
the
past
five
years.
They
were
right
to
do
so
after
the
former
SNP
claims
were
led
by
Darren
McKay
had
massively
hyped
up
football
charges
in
the
area.
T
Yes,
we
have
to
sustain
our
facilities,
but
we
cannot
place
youngsters
off
the
football
pitch.
The
petition
also
calls
on
the
Scottish
come
to
develop
a
long-term
plan
to
provide
quality,
artificial
surfaces.
There's
no
doubt
the
facilities
are
getting
better,
but
we
all
know
that
there's
growing
demand
and
the
Scottish
weather
means
that
we
need
more
artificial
pitches
and
again
I
know
from
speaking
to
teams
and
my
own
ear
that
there's
always
a
demand
for
pitches
and
more
investment
is
needed.
T
I'm
not
getting
added
on
time
today,
unfortunately,
but
just
in
causing
for
today
an
officer
and
we
should
properly
fund
their
councils,
so
they
can
make
those
investments
in
football.
It's
not
in
the
cut
the
cuts.
The
chemical
budgets
will
help
that
we
should
not
ignore,
is
they'll,
get
many
positives
about
the
game
in
Scotland
and
I.
Think
the
petitioners
would
and
they're
more
boys
and
girls
playing,
but
there's
much
more.
We
can
do.
T
B
So
many
very
important
issues
which
have
been
subject
to
subsequent
investigations
by
our
Parliament
I,
also
pay
tribute
to
the
past
and
present
public
petitions
committee
members
and
the
committee
staff
for
the
work
that
they
have
undertaken
them
over.
They
were
a
substantial
period
of
time.
My
great-grandfather
played
football
for
Scotland
and
every
time
he
played
Scotland
won
beating
England,
Ireland
and
Wales,
and,
as
mentioned
and
members
will
sadly
be
aware.
This
wasn't
actually
recently.
It
was
in
fact
1884
the
year
the
minister
and
my
own
football
team,
st.
B
Johnston
was
founded
and
as
a
Vale
of
Leven
player
in
1889,
he
was
headhunted
by
Blackburn
Rovers,
who
were
strengthening
their
side
by
buying
the
best
young
Scottish
players
and
I'm,
proud
of
the
fact
that
he
was
part
of
the
teams
which
won
five
FA
Cups
over
eight
years
and
I
raised
this
point
not
just
to
tell
a
family
story
but
to
highlight
how
his
decision
to
play
for
an
English
team
brought
an
end.
His
promising
international
career,
as
at
the
time
Scotland
did
not
select
players
playing
in
England
teams.
B
Now
time
has
indeed
moved
on,
but
I
think
I
speak
for
members
of
the
health
and
sport
committee.
When
I
say
that
during
the
evidence
and
inquiries
we've
undertaken,
it
has
felt
that
Victorian
attitude
seemed
to
dominate
still
seem
to
dominate
high
levels
of
football
in
Scotland
and
as
Brian
Whittle
and
Michelle
Ballantine
has
set
out
clearly
the
continuing
concerns
which
members
from
right
across
the
chamber
have
expressed
about
how
the
SFA
and
spss
pfl
have
appeared,
reluctant
and
intransigent
in
terms
of
addressing
key
concerns.
B
Like
the
issue
of
signing
of
contracts
with
children
under
16.
The
operation
of
conversation
schemes
and
the
lack
of
auditing
of
public
funds
of
the
SFA
is
a
concern.
As
we've
heard,
the
committee's
investigations
on
these
issues
led
to
additional
concerns
emerging,
such
as
contracts
between
professional
clubs
and
16
17
year-olds,
which
were
contravening
minimum
minimum
wage
legislation
and
payments
between
clubs,
which
had
been
made
beyond
the
parameters
of
the
compensation
scheme.
B
Claire
Hockey
rightly
talked
about
the
critical
importance
of
the
safety
of
youngsters
involved
and
referred
to
the
health
and
sport
committee's
work
around
the
child
protection
in
sport
inquiry,
which
made
a
number
of
important
recommendations
and
held
the
SFA
and
sy
FA
to
account
for
the
unacceptable
failure
and
ensuring
the
PVG
scheme
was
applied
to
all
coaches
and
officials,
working
with
young
players
and
as
Elizabeth
highlighted.
These
checks
should,
of
course,
also
be
carried
out
for
football
agents,
engage
with
children
as
soon
as
possible.
B
Well,
today's
debate
has
at
times
focused
on
some
of
the
negatives,
which
is
less
terrain.
Football
I
also
want
to
talk
today
about
some
of
the
fantastic
examples
of
youth
football
schemes
across
our
country
and
commend
all
those
dedicated
staff
and
volunteers
who
work
with
our
young
people
week
in
week
out
helping
to
develop
their
confidence
skills,
physical
and
mental
health
and
well-being
with
other
health
and
sport
committee.
B
B
I
is
also
pleased
to
meet
with
Stephen
Jordan
of
Street
League
in
Edinburgh,
which
is
doing
a
brilliant
work,
which
is
doing
a
huge
amount
of
work
in
supporting
unemployed
16
to
24
year
olds
to
move
into
education,
employment
and
training
by
combining
professional
football
coaching
and
employability
and
work
in
training
skills.
It's
had
many
success
stories
and
I
pay
tribute
to
all
involved
in
this
innovative
and
life.
Transforming
program
in
concluding
presiding
officer
I
again
welcome
today's
debate
and
hope.
B
Additional
parliamentary
focus
will
indeed
be
put
on
to
bring
pressure
to
the
football,
the
authorities
to
respond
more
adequately
to
and
urgently
to,
the
petitioners
concerns
which
I
know
are
clearly
from
this
debate.
Shared
right
across
the
chamber.
I
also
put
on
record
our
strong
support
for
youth
football
and
all
those
who
work
in
and
volunteer
at
a
grassroots
level.
B
D
You
presiding
officer
aim
slightly
dumbfounded
there
by
Mel's
break
smiles
breaks
the
supporting
lineage,
so
1884
was
clearly
a
very
good
year
for
football.
If
underneath
has
a
study,
of
course,
there
are
many
important
points
that
he
was
making
a
and
I
crossed
the
chamber.
This
has
been
a
very
positive
TV
debate
and
I
think
has
highlighted
the
important
role
that
football
please
in
Scottish
life
and
most
of
us
here
in
the
chamber
are
football
fans.
D
I
mean
all
what
a
national
game
a
to
flourish,
and
many
of
us
have
also
acknowledged
the
benefits
that
physical
activity
brings
and
of
the
power
of
sport
to
bring
about
positive
change.
It
listeth
a
talked
about
the
aim
beyond
boundaries.
It
was
something
I
really
enjoyed
visiting
as
well
and
I.
Think
it's
a
really
important
a
point
to
recognize
the
work,
the
good
work
of
our
governing
bodies,
including
a
cricket
Scotland,
to
try
and
do
things
innovatively
to
reach
out
to
to
people,
maybe
they've
all
be
taken.
D
Click
it
to
James
Kelly's,
aim
constituency,
because
that's
absolutely
the
aim
of
a
beyond
boundaries
this
to
reach
out
to
non-traditional
areas
of
the
country
that
would
enjoy
a
cricket
and
it's
a
fine
sport.
In
fact,
it
was
a
cricket
club
enjoy
suppose
I'd
like
a
club
before
it
became
a
football
air
club
as
well
and
I.
D
Think
it's
also
important
to
recognize
so
there's
good
work
getting
done
by
our
governing
bodies
in
terms
of
their
social
reach,
but
there's
also,
and
people
have
acknowledged
that,
and
it
abated
a
good
work
being
done
by
a
football
clubs
and
by
our
community.
There's
the
Community
Trust,
the
game.
Changer
from
hips
Morton
Montrose
of
just
recently
won
an
award
lots
of
clubs
doing
fantastic
work
in
their
communities.
Their
reach
is
considerable.
A
their
reach
goes
beyond
sometimes
the
reach
of
government
and
health
boards
and
local
authorities
in
terms
of
promoting
positive
messages.
D
So,
while
there
are
many
positives,
however,
we
do
need
to
recognize
that
there
are
still
areas
of
the
game.
I
could
do
with
some
improvement,
but
we
all
want
our
national
team
and
our
clubs
to
succeed
at
the
highest
level,
but,
of
course,
the
rights
of
children
protect
in
their
welfare
and
human
can
and
should
be
compatible
with
that
out
lane
ambition.
So
let
me
people
I
said
earlier.
The
way
outfit
of
the
child
is
paramount.
D
Everyone
in
the
chamber
agrees
that
it
should
be
the
main
consideration
and
we
shared
the
ambition
versions
of
the
football
authorities
and
the
clubs
for
a
national
game.
We
also
shared
our
determination
to
ensure
we
develop
the
very
best
young
footballers
that
we
can.
However,
that
must
be
done
with
the
welfare
of
child
of
children
at
the
heart
of
their
considerations.
These
issues
are
compatible
and
I
said,
as
I
said
in
my
opening
remarks.
D
But
while
of
course,
members
have
recognized
that
there
has
been
some
progress
over
the
seven
years
of
the
petition
concerns
remain
in
spite
of
those
changes.
Members
mentioned
continued
restriction
for
playing
with
schools.
Clear
hockey
and
Colin
Smith
raised
the
significant
work
that
has
been
undertaken
by
the
health
and
sport
committee
regarding
the
PBG
checks,
and
we
absolutely
welcomed
the
committee's
report
and
have
been
carefully
considering
the
recommendations
out
of
you.
D
Our
current
review
of
the
PVG
scheme
is
currently
underway
and
within
that
we
will
consider
that
any
action
necessary
to
ensure
that
we're
doing
all
we
can
to
ensure
that
who's
taking
part
in
sport
are
as
safe
and
enjoyable
for
children
and
regarding
the
point
about,
however,
about
stopping
all
funding
to
Scottish
football
score,
Scotland's
funding
is
conditional
on
safeguarding
requirements
and
Colin.
Smith
I
think
outlined
the
broader,
a
wider
approach
that
that
takes
a
bjørn's
just
simply
looking
at
P
V
G's.
D
And
while
we
don't
want
to
disadvantage
the
thousands
of
young
people
enjoying
youth
football
and
benefiting
from
government
investment,
we
have
to
make
sure
that
a
those
improvements
that
are
necessary
must
be
made
and
a
lane
to
that
aim.
As
the
points
that
are
owned,
that
in
continued
investment
and
the
has
been
investment.
And,
of
course,
we
want
to
grow
the
game,
and
we
want
to
ensure
that
there
is
opportunity
for
young
people
to
enjoy
the
sport.
D
Since
2000,
the
seven
sports
Scotland
is
invested
over
74
million
using
national
or
Chilean
government
funding
across
its
capital
program
legacy,
2014
act
of
polices,
funds
and
cash
back
in
the
development
for
football
and
with
partner
contributions
that
total
investment
into
football
facilities
as
an
excess
of
three
hundred
and
ninety
nine
million.
However,
that
said,
we
still
need
to
make
sure
that
people
in
all
communities
get
access
an
opportunity
to
good
high-quality,
a
facilities
to
ensure
that
we
grew
the
sport
at
a
grassroots
level.
C
Progress
that
has
been
made
has
been
because
of
the
petition
and
not
despite
it
and
fact,
a
lot
of
reluctance
on
behalf
of
the
regulatory
bodies,
but
well,
the
minimum
wage
is
reserved
and
clubs
have
an
obligation.
What
role
do
you
see
for
the
regulatory
bodies
in
ensuring
that
this
exploitation
is
ended,
because
too
many
families
won't
make
a
fuss
because
the
consequences
for
their
young
person
and
they're
caught
in
the
trap,
of
course,
of
that
think.
D
Of
course,
the
main
and
fundamental
issue
that
may
embrace
raised
was
what
the
former
Children's
Commissioner
theorem
does
that
power
imbalance
for
the
young
and
up-and-coming
players,
and
we
have
emphasized
strongly
to
both
the
SFA
and
SP
I-
feel
that
concerns
on
this
issue
and
other
additional
concerns
raised
through
the
petition
must
be
taken
seriously.
Scottish
people
must
ensure
the
rights
of
young
people
are
reflected
in
all
of
its
activity
and
for
me,
that
means
well
been
cognizant
of
the
strains
placed
on
any
external
influence
on
the
governance
of
our
domestic
game.
D
I'm
also
clean
nice
in
self
article
four
and
the
role
of
government
in
this
children
only
get
one
shot
at
childhood,
and
if
a
child,
a
young
person,
only
gets
one
shot
at
fulfilling
their
dream.
As
a
footballer,
we
must
ensure
the
right
safeguards
are
in
place
to
ensure
that
this
is
positive.
There
is
empowering
and
it
helps
develop
new
sporting
talent,
and
we
have
an
opportunity
and
well
not
an
explicit
timescale
of
work.
D
It
does
I
hope,
give
an
indication
and
an
outline
of
a
significant
package
of
measures
and
work
that
will
help
develop
our
approach
going
forward.
We
simply
reflect
on
the
reach
of
our
program
for
government's
commitment
to
the
year
in
CRC
and
I've
asked
my
officials,
as
I
said
earlier,
responds
to
joy
and
lament
to
discuss
these
issues
further
with
UEFA.
To
make
clear
our
overarching
interest
is
with
the
well-being
of
children
I'm.
Also
keen
to
firm
up
my
offer
of
our
own
table
meeting
to
follow
a
collective
examination
of
next
steps.
D
The
rule
changes
have
now
been
in
place
for
a
full
season,
so
it's
the
right
time
to
convene
and
explore
in
more
detail
how
effective
these
changes
and,
in
particular,
young
person's
well-being,
candles
have
been
and
discussing
the
remaining
concerns
with
all
interested
parties
and
consider
the
best
way
forward.
There's
also
opportunity
to
build
on
the
progress
made
by
the
SFA
in
SPF
fail
and
to
explore
opportunities
presented
through
project
brief
ahead
of
its
implementation
next
year,
and
perhaps
alongside
that,
they
consider
the
examples
from
other
countries.
D
D
Apologize
a
presiding
officer,
so
that
is
considerable.
A
package
of
measures
that
are
in
place
that
well
I
was
to
develop
an
approach
that
will
bring
about
the
improvements
and
build
very
much
on
the
improvements
that
have
been
brought
by
the
petitioners
themselves.
So
it's
right
and
proper
that
we
continue
to
work
across
parties
across
a
party
political
divides
across
part.
A
club
allegiances
works
with
clubs,
work
with
their
governing
bodies
to
make
sure
that
I
think
collectively
we
can
bring
about
the
peace
of
change.
D
That's
required
to
meet
the
improvements
that
seek
to
ensure
that
children
and
young
people
are
not
respected
and
valued
through
the
progression
to
either
just
enjoy
simply
a
game
of
football
or
if
they
are
lucky
to
be
able
to
go
and
progressed
in
early
performance
and
hopefully
score
that
winning
goal
for
Scotland
and
I
Cup
final
sometime
soon.
So
thank
you
very
much
for
staging
officer
and
thank
you
to
the
petitioners
committee
for
their
work
and,
of
course,
to
the
petitioners
as
well.
U
You
presiding
officer
I'm
pleased
to
be
able
to
sum
up
what
has
certainly
been
an
excellent
and
interesting
debate
and
I'm
pleased
to
note
that
the
petitioners
Scott
Robertson
and
Willie
Smith
are
here
today
following
Proceedings
know,
there
can
be
no
denying
that
football
plays
an
important
role
in
Scottish
society,
whether
that's
at
the
elite
professional
level
as
recreation
for
adults
or,
as
we
focused
on
this
afternoon,
youth
football.
As
the
committee
convener
indicated
in
our
opening
remarks,
and
others
have
mentioned
in
the
course
of
the
debate.
U
That
we've
reached
the
best
possible
outcome
when
talking
about
a
petition
having
been
ongoing
for
so
long.
It's
understandable
of
some
question
in
eyebrows
are
raised,
but
very
simply
we
would
not
be
doing
our
jobs
if
we
did
not
continue
to
push
for
improved
outcomes
who
ever
think
that
these
can
be
delivered.
U
Consideration
of
public
petitions
is
an
iterative
process
and
we've
now
considered
this
petition
at
27,
separate
committee
meetings
and
then
that
time
that
have
been
eight
oral
evidence
sessions
and
consideration
given
to
many
pieces
of
written
evidence
and
there
have
been
periods
in
the
seven
years.
Working
saturation
has
been
paused
for
a
number
of
months
shall
a
very
substantial
work
to
be
done.
For
example,
the
Working
Party
review,
carried
out
by
the
SFA
SFL
and
SPL
in
2012
and
2013,
and
the
work
undertaken
by
the
now
former
Commissioner
for
children
and
young
people
Tam
Bailey.
U
Mr.
Barry
has
continued
to
maintain
a
focus
on
the
issue
of
youth
football
since
he
left
that
office,
which
is
to
be
welcomed.
His
ongoing
interest
highlights
that
the
concerns
underpinning
the
committee's
work
are
about
protecting
the
rights
and
welfare
of
our
children
and
young
people
and
since
undertaking
an
assessment
of
registration
procedures
from
a
child
rights
perspective.
Mr.
Bailey's
position
has
changed
the
point
where
he
now
calls
for
external
regulation
and
I.
Don't
think
mr.
Bailey
would
have
made
that
call
lately.
Nor
does
the
committee
continue
its
work
on
this
lately.
U
So
as
today's
to
be
as
today's
debate
has
made
clear,
there
are
some
issues
of
fundamental
concern.
However,
before
I
go
any
further
I'd
like
to
say
I'm
grateful
to
Brian
Whittle
for
highlighting
how
it
can
be
done
and
that
there
is
good
practice
out
there.
That
can
be
followed
in
the
course
of
the
debate
members,
including
James,
Doran
and
Lewis
MacDonald,
clear
hawky
on
behalf
of
the
health
and
sport
committee,
Filton
McGregor,
former
committee
member,
a
modest
glory
yeah,
and
it's
too
many
speakers
to
mention
him.
U
But
I'll
give
excellent
contributions
to
these
a
debate.
Some
have
raised
concern
which
I
share
that
the
SFA
and
SPFL
have
confirmed
that
they
do
not
monitor
contracts
between
professional
football
clubs
and
individual
players
have
arrests
on
Bailey,
and
the
petitioners
have
rightly
pointed
out.
The
SFA
and
SPFL
also
claim
to
investigate
all
instances
of
non-payment
of
the
national
minimum
wage
that
come
to
their
attention.
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These
issues,
I
would
agree
with
the
speakers
anima
Kari
and
James
darlin,
amongst
others,
who
have
suggested
that
the
intransigence
of
the
SFA
and
the
SPFL
has
made
this
one
of
the
longest,
if
not
the
longest
running
petitions
in
the
life
of
this
Parliament,
it's
taken
six
years
for
the
SFA
and
the
SPFL
to
agree
that
children
sign
to
professional
football
clubs
should
be
able
to
play
for
the
school
football
team.
However,
as
the
petitioners
rightly
point
out,
there's
no
monitoring
framework
and
placed
insured
SFA
guidances
upheld
by
professional
football
clubs.
U
However,
that
said,
presiding
officer
there's
been
a
fair
degree
of
consensus,
and
this
afternoon's
debate,
during
which
it's
clear
the
chamber,
feels
there
is
a
degree
of
lack
of
governance
by
the
SFA
to
say
an
officer.
This
debate
has
been
useful
in
setting
out
the
issues
of
concern.
However,
the
petition
will
return
to
the
committee
setting
the
committee
setting
for
further
discussion
and
concluding
this
debate.
I'd
like
to
say
that
the
next
steps
that
the
committee
intends
to
take
in
the
coming
weeks
will
be
taking
up
the
invitation
to
visit
a
number
of
club
academies.
U
This
will
allow
us
to
hear
from
players,
parents
and
coaches
about
their
experiences
and
perceptions
of
the
current
systems
and
I'm
glad
that
these
visits
were
allow
us
to
get
to
clubs
of
different
sizes
and
with
different
academy,
setups
I'm.
Sure.
All
members
of
the
committee
will
find
these
visits
of
benefit
personally
I'm
looking
forward
to
visiting
the
Forth
Valley
Academy
and
hopefully
the
one
at
Ross
County
in
the
not-too-distant
future.
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Once
those
visits
have
taken
place,
we'll
consider
the
petition
again
to
report
back
in
the
discussions
at
the
visits
and
to
reflect
on
the
issues
raised
in
this
debate.
It's
the
committee's
intention
to
then
produce
a
draft
report
on
the
petition
which
will
allow
us
to
say
that
our
conclusions
and
recommendations
about
what
further
action
we
would
like
to
see
taken
and
by
whom.
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As
always,
we
welcome
any
contributions
that
other
members
of
this
Parliament
and
members
of
the
public
may
wish
to
make
to
inform
us
as
members
of
the
committee
in
those
next
steps
and
but
enclosing
to
the
presiding
officer,
I.
Think
every
single
contribution
has
been
excellent
today
and
we
look
forward
to
further
work
on
this
petition
in
the
near
future.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you
very
much
mr.
McDonald,
and
that
brings
us
to
decision
time
and
there's
one
question
to
be
put
as
a
result
of
today's
business.
The
question
is
that
motion
7201
in
the
name
of
John
Lamont
on
pe1
t19
and
improving
youth
who
poland,
scotland
be
agreed,
are
we
all
agreed?
We
are
agreed,
and
that
concludes
decision
time
well
now,
move
to
members
business
in
the
name
of
Jamie
Greene,
on
GP
recruitment
in
west
club
ride
and
the
cross
calendar
will
just
take
a
few
moments
for
members
to
change
tees.