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Education (Scotland) Bill - Financial Memorandum

Overview

The Bill is in two main parts.

Part 1 of the Bill establishes Qualifications Scotland. Qualifications Scotland will:

• replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority, which is dissolved by the Bill
• develop and award qualifications (other than university degrees)
• have an independent Accreditation Committee to regulate qualifications (other than university degrees) and the organisations that award them
• give advice to Scottish Ministers
• produce charters setting out what learners, teachers and practitioners should expect from Qualifications Scotland
• involve learners, teachers and others in decision making through a Board of Management, committees and an advisory council

Part 2 of the Bill establishes the Chief Inspector and sets out what they will do and how they will operate. The Chief Inspector will:

• inspect places where education is provided and education services
• have an Advisory Council
• publish an inspection plan and reports on inspections
• publish an annual report, and reports on the performance of the Scottish education system
• tell Scottish Ministers when a school or education authority is not making necessary improvements

If the inspector finds that a school, or education authority, is not making necessary improvements Scottish Ministers can give enforcement directions if required. The Bill also gives Scottish Ministers the powers to require that improvements are made.

Financial Memorandum

As with all Bills, the Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum (FM).

Read the FM for this Bill: Financial Memorandum.

Your Views

The Committee's call for views closed on 30 August 2024.

The Committee received 3 submissions to its call for views. Read the submissions on Citizen Space.

The Committee has agreed to forward the submissions received to the Education, Children and Young People Committee as part of that Committee's consideration of the Education (Scotland) Bill and to take no further action.