The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 2232 contributions
Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 12 November 2024
John Mason
The minister said that the capital funding went down and has come back to roughly where we were, but the financial transactions allocation has gone down but not come back up. Is that correct?
Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 12 November 2024
John Mason
I am fascinated by the use of the word “lucky” in this meeting.
Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 12 November 2024
John Mason
No, but some of my colleagues have. I think that we are lucky to get rid of the Conservatives, anyway.
I will move on to some more detail. The figure on the council tax freeze has been revised. I think that it was going to be £144 million, and an extra £3 million is going into that. Can you comment on that? Was it uncertain?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
Would they not benefit from coming to Glasgow instead of going to an outdoor centre?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
Thank you.
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
I will continue on that theme. You have convinced me that residential education is a good idea, but can you convince me that it has to be residential outdoor education? That is a specific question. If we have time, I would also like to ask about the ages at which kids do things.
As an example, it has been suggested that it is valuable for young people to go to Kew gardens, but that might not count as residential outdoor education. Ms Smith and I have a friend who takes groups to the first world war battlefields. At the end of my first year—that is, S1—we went on a tour of the Highlands. I do not remember what we did, but I remember being at different places. I have a number of friends in Glasgow who have never been to Inverness, let alone a park. If we have £30 million a year to play with, should we not widen things out a bit, or does it have to be spent on residential outdoor education?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
As you mentioned the age issue, will you tell us whether you are convinced about the P6 to S4 focus? Would you want flexibility on that, too?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
Professor Loynes, is the bill too specific or are you happy with it?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
I am sure that they would need reassurance about the cardboard boxes. Dr Scrutton, do you want to comment?
Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 6 November 2024
John Mason
I did not really pursue that point, as Professor Mannion gave me an answer on it. Dr Scrutton, do you agree that we should be more flexible on the ages?