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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 23 December 2024
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Displaying 996 contributions

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Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

I understand. I will just press that point. Cabinet secretary, more philosophically, do you think that eligibility for free school meals is the best measure on which to decide levels of need in a school and area? Perhaps there is a better way that you might move to.

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

I am very grateful.

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

On a related point, the programme for government mentions the

“development of a new funding model for post-school education provision”,

which will include improving parity of financial support for flexible and part-time study. What progress has been made on that? What timescales are you working to, and what is the impact on the budget?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

I understand your answer, but I wonder whether you can clarify something. Given that the programme for government is very recent, one would have thought that, before such an announcement was made, some budgetary provision would have been made—a ballpark figure, at least. Was that not done?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

That is the question. If you say to councils, “You have to increase your teacher numbers,” and then, for whatever reason, they are unable to do so or do not do so, will consequences arise?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

Respectfully, I say that I am not sure that that answered my question, which was about how a £15 million shortfall does not follow through and have an impact.

By all means, we can come back to that, but I will stick with the topic of PEF. It is allocated at school level, based on the number of children who it is estimated take free school meals. Concerns have been raised with me about what will happen when universal free school meals are brought in. How will PEF be calculated then?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny and the Scottish Attainment Challenge

Meeting date: 27 September 2023

Liam Kerr

Good morning. I have a couple of questions on pupil equity funding. It seems that you are absolutely right that PEF is making a significant difference, but the amount is £130 million—give or take some—which is the same as last year. Had the amount increased with inflation, it would be about £145 million. What does the Government think will be the practical impact of what is, in effect, a reduction in funding, and how will you ensure that local authorities are sufficiently resourced, given that £15 million shortfall?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny

Meeting date: 20 September 2023

Liam Kerr

How are local authorities preparing to deal with the RAAC situation and fund any necessary work?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny

Meeting date: 20 September 2023

Liam Kerr

I am grateful for those answers.

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny

Meeting date: 20 September 2023

Liam Kerr

I am grateful for that answer.