Chamber and committees

I have a further question about fairness. You might have one local authority with a falling pupil roll that has protected its teacher numbers and another with a rising roll that is having to maintain them. I know that we have the highest pupil teacher ratio, and that is an important measure, but—I am sure that committee members will not mind my using this example—in my local authority area, the pupil roll is falling and the authority is having to maintain teacher numbers. It is, I guess, a difficult issue for people to get their heads around.

I am being upstaged by Willie Rennie when he is not even asking questions. [Laughter.] I have a final question on that issue. You have spoken about the benefits of protecting teacher numbers. What assessment do you make of the risks of seeking to control teacher numbers? I am thinking about local variation in accountability.

I have a couple of questions about children’s services. The first is about the Promise. I am interested in the witnesses’ reflections on the practicalities of delivering the local government elements of the Promise in the current financial context. While you are thinking, I point out that a live issue for the committee is the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill, which obviously has implications for local government, so perhaps you can speak to that a little.

There is a reduction in real terms in the expected net spend on children and families social work services in 2023-24 in comparison with the 2019-20 net spend. What might that reduction look like in practice for children and families services and for the children and families who use those services?

That is interesting. Does Kirsty Flanagan have any comments on that?

You spoke about Glasgow City Council reducing its education budget. I know that there are other local authorities that have protected the education budget, even throughout these really challenging times. It would be good to hear what, within education, the money could be invested in and what that would look like for children and young people in the education system. To go back to the Verity house agreement and the priorities for us in relation to that, it would be interesting to hear your reflections on where that money might be invested and how that would benefit children and young people.

Thank you. That is helpful.

Generally, the pay of teachers and local government employees is subject to negotiations between COSLA, local authorities and trade unions. However, in recent years, the Scottish Government has stepped in to fund uplifts in pay. What role is there for the Scottish Government in relation to the pay of local authority workers?

Kirsty is smiling.

Okay. Thank you. I do not know whether any of the other panel members wish to come in.

Thank you. That was helpful.