Chamber and committees

I was very interested in what Dr Hutchison said about responsibility lying with the whole education community, including teachers and leaders. The implication was that the education secretary is a roadblock and that you would find a way of getting round her. Am I misinterpreting what you said, Dr Hutchison?

Your demeanour tells me something else. You are quite downbeat today, and you have talked about frustration and a lack of vision. You have said that there is a danger in going too fast but also in going too slowly, with an emphasis on the slow. I do not think that you really believe that the cabinet secretary is behind your report.

The cabinet secretary’s framing of the whole debate is about her plans being ambitious yet pragmatic, in contrast with those who want radical changes. Is the explanation about a lack of finance just an excuse, or does the cabinet secretary simply not believe in the principles behind your report?

I do not think that people are marching in the streets about it, but there is a wider view.

I want to move on to the voluntary nature of the accreditation and regulation system, which is something that Fiona Robertson indicated should perhaps change. Largely, those functions are voluntary; I think that she was indicating that there should be a greater degree of compulsion with regard to involvement. What is your view on that?

Local authorities are obviously the direct employers of the teachers, and there is concern that there is no scrutiny of their systems for checking who is employed in their schools, or of the complaints that are received.

I have a couple of quick questions. First, it has been raised with us that teachers who are looking to be employed by the SQA sometimes take a pay cut. Are you trying to resolve that? Secondly, after hearing all that has been said in the media and in the committee, do you think that the leadership of the SQA can become the leadership of qualifications Scotland?

Should all the leadership change?

I have a final question on accreditation. I understand that the accreditation and regulation function in Wales has five times the budget of the accreditation and regulation function in Scotland. Are you familiar with that? Do you know why that has happened?

My final question is on child protection. Last week, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland raised the issue of there being a vacuum, or an absence of powers, in inspection, related to the child protection powers that local authorities and schools have with regard to removal of teachers. The General Teaching Council for Scotland has a function in respect of individual teachers, but there is concern that the system that is operated by local authorities and schools is not sufficient and that it is not inspected. Do you have a view on that?

No. Basically, the GTCS regulates individual teachers, as you know.