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The publication of any report by the OECD is a matter for the OECD and is not for the Scottish Government to determine. This independent review is being conducted by their own analysts and international experts. Their approach to considering evidence, engaging with stakeholders and the preparation of the report follows the OECD’s tried and tested methodology for assessments like this.

It is important to note that the Scottish Government, not Education Scotland, is responsible for policy on education. Education Scotland is the national improvement agency for education. Education Scotland’s status as an Executive Agency means that it operates independently and impartially, whilst remaining directly accountable to the Scottish Ministers and parliament for the standards of its work. This status safeguards the independence of inspection, review and reporting within the overall context of the National Performance Framework.

I am giving careful consideration to the issues raised in the debate and the view of parliament in relation to them. The substantial reform of Education Scotland proposed in the motion would represent a major change to the education landscape in Scotland. I do not believe that such policy development should, or indeed could, be taken forward in the short time available ahead of the pre-election period. In the meantime, my focus will instead remain on ensuring that current essential business in Scottish education is progressed and, in particular, on ensuring our response to the pandemic supports the learning, health and wellbeing of our learners and our practitioners.

Free school meals are a vital support to thousands of children and young people across the country - ensuring that children are fed and ready to engage in learning. They are also a valued support for family budgets - by providing a saving of approximately £400 per year per child.

This government has shown its support to children and young people in receipt of free school meals through the additional £51 million of funding to local authorities to continue the provision of free school meals during the period of school closures and through the summer, winter and Easter holidays.

We do review the delivery of free school meals to ensure that it is supporting children and young people and expansion of free school meals to additional year groups is one of those considerations as part of this process. Implementation of a policy of this scale would require significant levels of planning, assessment and delivery in conjunction with COSLA and our partners in local authorities. In 2021-22, we will continue to provide £53 million of funding to local authorities for the universal provision of free school meals to every child in primary 1 to primary 3. We will also continue to provide funding to local authorities to deliver free school meals to all eligible children and young people in primary 4 and above.

A number of resources have been published and provided to people who are receiving their COVID-19 vaccination. Information on the vaccination can be found on NHS Inform ; this information is also available in British Sign Language (BSL), audio, other languages, Easy Read and large print formats.

The Scottish Government published an Equity Audit on 13 January 2021, which is available at Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact of school building closures - equity audit - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The report provides a range of evidence to further our understanding of the impact of school buildings closures and wider lockdown restrictions on children and young people, with a particular focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Our National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan contains a wealth of other evidence and analysis that extends our understanding of what works to drive improvements for children and young people across all parts of the Scottish education system.

Information on the number of teachers in posts was collected in the September 2020 school staff census and were published in December in the 2020 the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-schools-scotland-2020/

The Scottish Government collects data on an annual basis in the school staff census in September of each year so does not hold data on the number of teachers in post in May 2007. Information on the numbers of teacher in post in the September 2006 staff census, from the same academic year as May 2007, is available in table 6.1 of the 2019 Teacher Census Supplementary Statistics, available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

Information on primary school class sizes is collected annually in the September Pupil Census. Statistics on class sizes from the 2020 census were published in Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland 2020 , available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-schools-scotland-2020/ .

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as amended identifies a number of politically restricted posts within a local authority. The restrictions take the form of terms and conditions that are deemed to be incorporated into those officers' terms of appointment and conditions of employment. They include: not announcing themselves as a candidate for a Parliamentary or Local Government election; not being an election agent; and not being an officer of, or canvassing on behalf of, a political party. Full details are in the Schedule to The Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990 (legislation.gov.uk) , as amended by The Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Amendment Regulations 1998 (legislation.gov.uk) to include the Scottish Parliament.

The 1989 Act further identifies certain categories of post deemed to be politically restricted on the basis of one or more defined characteristics and introduced the requirement for every local authority to prepare and maintain a list of such posts. There are two exemptions from political restriction provided by statute. One of which is the holders of teaching posts (head teachers, principals, teachers and lecturers) are not to be regarded as being in politically restricted posts. They, therefore, do not have to be included in the list of such posts maintained by the local authority.

The vast majority of school staff will not be politically restricted but there may be exceptions and if any member of staff is thinking of engaging in political activity they should check their position with their local management team. If they dispute a direction they may approach the Local Government Political Restrictions Adjudicator for Scotland who will adjudicate in such cases.

There is a Code of Professionalism and Conduct which sets out key principles and values for all teachers registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. Within this document there is a requirement that teachers must uphold standards of personal and professional conduct, honesty and integrity so that the public have confidence in them as a teacher and teaching as a profession.

We know that Covid is affecting the learning of all children and young people, and we have published an Equity Audit examining the particular impact on children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This government is also investing £182m in the Scottish Attainment Challenge in‎ 2021-22, including £127m in Pupil Equity Funding to support those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This builds on the £750m investment in the Scottish Attainment Challenge over the course of this Parliament.

Specific funding committed as part of a longer-term programme up to 2021-22 to enable children to catch-up on missed education includes:

• £105m for additional teachers and other support staff
• £90m to help offset the additional costs required to implement protection measures and support safe, open and welcoming schools
• £25m devices & connectivity
• £51m for free school meal alternatives during remote learning and school holidays
• £45m support for schools and families
• £60m education recovery funding to support and accelerate learning recovery

Model-Based estimates of unemployment levels and rates based on the Annual Population Survey and Claimant Count information are published https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/ . Model-based unemployment estimates are not available below local authority level, and therefore for Arran.

The following table provides the latest model-based unemployment estimates for North Ayrshire local authority in each year since October 2015 – September 2016:

Model-Based Unemployment Levels and Rates, North Ayrshire, 2016 to 2020