Meeting of the Parliament
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MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT Wednesday 17 April 2013 Session 4 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.scottish.parliament.uk or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Wednesday 17 April 2013 CONTENTS Col. PORTFOLIO QUESTION TIME ....................................................................................................................... 18623 EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING ........................................................................................................ 18623 Education (Aberdeenshire Council) ...................................................................................................... 18623 Motherwell, Coatbridge and Cumbernauld Colleges ............................................................................ 18624 Educational Attainment (Glasgow City Council) ................................................................................... 18625 West College Scotland (Improvements to Campuses)......................................................................... 18626 College Regionalisation ........................................................................................................................ 18627 Education Systems ............................................................................................................................... 18628 Prisoners (Educational Qualifications) ................................................................................................. 18629 Travel to School (Safety) ...................................................................................................................... 18630 Employability Fund ............................................................................................................................... 18631 School Maintenance ............................................................................................................................. 18632 College Mergers ................................................................................................................................... 18633 Horizon 2020 ........................................................................................................................................ 18634 Sectarianism ......................................................................................................................................... 18635 Part-time Students (Fife) ...................................................................................................................... 18636 Student Awards Agency for Scotland (Prompt Payment) .................................................................... 18637 PUBLIC PROCUREMENT REFORM ................................................................................................................ 18639 Motion moved—[Gordon MacDonald]. Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) ............................................................................... 18639 The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities (Nicola Sturgeon) ............................................................................................................................... 18642 Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) .................................................................................................... 18646 Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ....................................................................................... 18649 Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP) .................................................................................................... 18651 Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab) ...................................................................................... 18653 Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride) (SNP)...................................................................................................... 18655 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 18657 Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) .................................................................................................... 18659 Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) ............................................................................................. 18661 Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) ........................................................................................................ 18663 Stuart McMillan (West Scotland) (SNP) ............................................................................................... 18665 Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) ......................................................................................................... 18667 Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) ....................................................................................... 18670 Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) ......................................................................................... 18672 Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) ................................................................................. 18674 Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) ........................................................................................................ 18676 Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) ....................................................................................... 18678 Elaine Murray ........................................................................................................................................ 18680 Nicola Sturgeon .................................................................................................................................... 18682 Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) ............................................................ 18685 BUSINESS MOTIONS ................................................................................................................................... 18688 Business motions moved—[Joe FitzPatrick]—and agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION ............................................................................................................. 18690 Motion moved—[Joe FitzPatrick]. DECISION TIME .......................................................................................................................................... 18691 ONE BILLION RISING CAMPAIGN ................................................................................................................. 18692 Motion debated—[Kezia Dugdale]. Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab) .............................................................................................................. 18692 Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride) (SNP)...................................................................................................... 18694 Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab) .................................................................... 18695 Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ................................................................................... 18697 Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab) .............................................................................................................. 18698 Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 18700 Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)...................................................................................................... 18701 Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) ............................................................................................. 18703 The Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport (Shona Robison) ................................................. 18705 18623 17 APRIL 2013 18624 Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): Scottish Parliament Anxious communications are still coming in from parents in Aberdeenshire. What assurance can Wednesday 17 April 2013 the minister give that children in Aberdeenshire will not have their subject choice compromised in [The Deputy Presiding Officer opened the any way following the changes with the meeting at 14:00] introduction of the new exams? Portfolio Question Time Dr Allan: I know that Aberdeenshire Council’s education committee has made it very clear that the needs of individual pupils should be Education and Lifelong Learning considered in considering subject choices. That is one of the most important things. I think that there Education (Aberdeenshire Council) is an understanding of the need for flexibility and 1. Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North that there is an increased appreciation generally Kincardine) (SNP): To ask the Scottish that, although the number of subjects that are Government what recent discussions it has had taken in fourth year is certainly important, that is with Aberdeenshire Council regarding education certainly not the be-all and end-all in respect of the issues. (S4O-01985) number of qualifications that pupils will leave school with or, indeed, what universities and The Minister for Learning, Science and employers are looking for. However, I welcome the Scotland’s Languages (Dr Alasdair Allan): On fact that Aberdeenshire Council has indicated the 11 December, the Cabinet Secretary for Education need for flexibility to allow for the needs of and Lifelong