Chamber and committees

But it was going backwards. It was not as though more progress needed to be made. Progress was not being made in the indicators that I just listed. Why are you selectively quoting the ones that have seen some improvement—albeit not big improvements but tiny margins? There is still a big poverty-related attainment gap of 35 points at level 6. These gaps are enormous and we are making infinitesimal improvements. If we are going to spend £1 billion, surely you would expect something a bit better than this.

I dispute that there is progress as you describe it. I think that we need to be honest about how much progress we are making. It was claimed initially that we were going to close the poverty-related attainment gap completely. However, I have heard ministers row back a little bit on the “completely” part of that, saying that it may not be possible to close it altogether. The First Minister used to say that she had a guiding mission or a top priority, but we do not hear her say much about it any more. Now, we also hear that it is a very long-term project. I just get a feeling that ministers are backing off on how much progress we will make on it. Tell me that that is not the case, because I want to—

It is definitely not the case. I would like us to get more definitive targets, which you were unable to give the convener earlier, and I would like us to make more progress, instead of dressing up stagnation as progress. Can you give me an assurance that that will happen?

But that is not in line with inflation.

Okay. I have a final question on PEF. If PEF had kept up with inflation since it was introduced, it would now be worth £130 million. Inflation today is at 9 per cent—it could be much higher than that—but we do not have a commitment from the Government to raise PEF higher than the £127 million that it is currently set at. It was set at £120 million and it is now set at £127 million, but we have no guarantee that it will rise with inflation over the next period. Why has it not been guaranteed to increase?

It is not as valuable as it was when it was first introduced, because it should be £130 million and it is short of that. There is also no guarantee that it will increase with inflation when inflation is going through the roof. Surely we should be trying to give some guarantees that this is a top priority and, therefore, that PEF will be index linked.

Okay. Thanks.

Finally, are you optimistic that the Government will come to an agreement with you on the best way forward?

It has been an extremely helpful session. I understand the issue of equality between English children here and Scottish children here—I get that—but is there a particular issue as regards equality between English children here and English children in England? You say that the proposals are not compatible with the UNCRC or ECHR. Is that the case in England as well?

Are English children who are here worse off than English children in English facilities?