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Thank you, Greg. We have heard lots of points and it is a fascinating discussion. I now turn to Kaukab Stewart.

Jim, you have raised a lot of issues, and I know that my colleagues on the committee will want to come back to you on quite a few of them.

I want to refer back to what Mike Corbett said. He quoted Professor Lindsay Paterson in an article in Tes Scotland in which he said:

“Inequality also fell in England, mainly by raising the low-status students while also raising high-status students. Scotland raised low-status students by less and depressed high-status students. It would not be reasonable to describe this as better progress towards equality of outcome in Scotland than in England.”

That was, I think, part of the quote that Mike Corbett was referring to. Mike also asked the question, “Is attainment too narrow a focus?” Jim, can you respond to the quote from Lindsay Paterson and then answer the question that Mike Corbett asked? Is attainment too narrow a focus?

Andrea, I am sorry to interrupt you, but on Lindsay Paterson’s comment, his comparative statement, that Scotland raised low-status students by less and depressed high-status students, does he have a point?

I think that Ruth Maguire wanted to come in on that.

Thank you. That brings to an end the first part of our meeting. I thank Greg Dempster, Andrea Bradley, Mike Corbett and Jim Thewliss for joining us and giving us the benefit of their evidence. I wish you all a good morning.

We will have a short suspension to allow the witnesses to leave before moving on to agenda item 3.

Welcome back. Our next item of business is consideration of legislative consent memorandum LCM-S6-17, on the British Sign Language Bill, which is UK Parliament legislation. The bill recognises British Sign Language as a language of England, Wales and Scotland, places a duty on the secretary of state to report on the promotion and facilitation of the use of BSL by ministerial Government departments and places a duty on the secretary of state to issue guidance on the general promotion and facilitation of BSL.

The entirety of the bill extends to Scotland. Clauses 1, 2 and 3 all relate to the reserved matter of equal opportunities but fall within one of the exceptions to that reservation. As such, each of those provisions relates to matters that the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish ministers have competence for.

The Scottish Government recommends consent because, although the Scottish Parliament has passed the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 and has established a precedent of support for the promotion of BSL, the bill will additionally recognise in statute BSL as a language of Scotland. Furthermore, the Scottish Government has stated that

“the Bill will be beneficial to Scotland’s BSL communities, as it will promote the use of BSL in Scotland, particularly in relation to reserved functions.”

The committee considered its approach to scrutiny of the LCM at its meeting on 30 March and agreed to write to the Scottish Government to seek an update on progress since the introduction of the 2015 act. The response from the Minister for Children and Young People is included in members’ papers. The minister has stated:

“A significant part of the Act is delivered through the British Sign Language National Plan 2017-2023 ... A new National Plan will be published and implemented following the conclusion of the current plan at the end of 2023”.

Do members have any comments?

I am very enthusiastic about the fact that Scotland has played a leading role in terms of the 2015 act, and I think that that is a point of progress that should be noted and commented on. The fact that the UK Parliament’s legislation will establish BSL as a language of Scotland is very much to be welcomed. I think that we are all in agreement.

Are members content that a short report be prepared by the clerks and signed off by myself and the deputy convener?

Members indicated agreement.

The next item of business is consideration of two pieces of subordinate legislation under the negative procedure. The first instrument to be considered is the Police Act 1997 and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Fees) (Coronavirus) Amendment Regulations 2022. Do members have any comments on the instrument?

As members have no comments on the instrument, does the committee agree that it does not wish to make any recommendations in relation to it?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you very much.

What did I say?

Andrea Bradley, is it working? Has it worked?