 Mae'r unrhywash ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau eu busnes yn ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau, edrych, ddïch wych, ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau i ddechrau'r pryd, rydyn ni'n ei gweld i'r mynd yn dystod wrth hyn i ddweud i ddif advertr. Pwylltion nr 1, Bruce Crawford. Naill cymaint o Gailmwyth ydw i. Yn hyn, dweud ymingud yma. Mae ddych chi'n fawr, y cwaint yn cymaint yn Llywbeth i am gael ymddechrau. I have come teachers in January. I announced an additional £2 million to increase the number of teacher training places by 260 this year, taking the total to £3,490. The 2016-17 total is 66 per cent higher than the 2011-12 target, and we have also supported a number of innovative schemes with a view to attracting people who might not otherwise have come into teaching. We are also working to help local authorities to meet some of their particular and localised challenges that they face in recruitment. I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. I can ask her that she is aware of the excellent initiative between Herriot-Watt University and Stirling University to provide teacher training places at Stirling for STEM graduates who come from Herriot-Watt. This is an innovative practice. Can she tell me what other innovative schemes are in place to help to meet the needs for more teachers? Yes, indeed, I welcome the proposed collaboration between the University of Stirling and Herriot-Watt University, which has seen STEM undergraduates train to become teachers. It is also a very welcome initiative. As a Government, we have worked closely with the two universities to help to develop that proposal. We have been working with a range of partners to develop other new routes into teaching. A couple of examples would be that we have supported the development of the University of Aberdeen's part-time distance learning initial teacher education primary programme, which allows local authorities in the north and northeast to have existing members of staff trained as teachers while they are still working. We are also supportive of the University of Dundee's similar programme, which they deliver in partnership with Perth, Cynros and Angus councils, where members of staff studying a part-time distance learning basis will again continue to work for the local authority. The University of West of Scotland has a similar initiative with Dumfries and Galloway Council, although in this instance, members of staff study in a full-time basis while the council continues to pay the trainee teachers' salary during the training. The cabinet secretary will know that, in paragraph 18 of the recommendations of the silver report this week, there were concerns about access to teachers for pupils who are studying some higher and some advanced higher courses. Could the cabinet secretary tell us what the Scottish Government is doing to address those concerns? Smith Smith is probably very much welcome to Dame Ruth Silver's very comprehensive and, indeed, bold report. We are, of course, a way of studying all the recommendations, but I think that the point that is made in the report, and I think that the point that is also made by Ms Smith, if I am understanding her correctly, is that diversity in the teaching workforce is important and, in the same way, there are endeavours to widen access into the medical profession. Likewise, we have to be taking that challenge on in teacher education. One particular area of difficulty in recruiting teachers is physics teachers. Those who enter teacher training to teach physics in England are eligible for a £25,000 bursary administered by the Institute of Physics, but funded by the Government. Has the Scottish Government considered replicating that scheme and why has it decided not to do so? I assure Mr Gray that we are aware of that scheme. We have indeed looked at it. The bursary of £25,000 is available to some graduates. It is not universally available to all physics graduates who wish to pursue a teaching career. We have looked closely at the evidence, and I suggest that the evidence is less than conclusive. My understanding was that there was some attempt south of the border to roll back from it, but we are always open-minded and we will scrutinise it closely. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with head teachers and other stakeholders on closing the attainment gap. The Government and Education Scotland continually engage with head teachers and local authorities on closing the educational attainment gap. Discussions take place on all-school inspections and through support activities. In February and early March, Education Scotland ran five leadership events across Scotland for all secondary school head teachers and deputes where the educational attainment gap was discussed and ways of closing it were shared. Additionally, a networking event for head teachers from all 57 schools involved in the attainment Scotland programme was held on 23 February in Glasgow. That provided an opportunity for them to share their experiences so far of the work that they are doing to close the educational gap. In addition, Education Scotland's area lead officers are also in on-going discussions with all 32 local authorities on strategies to close the educational attainment gap. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Given the clear commitment of the Scottish Government to close the attainment gap and the leadership that has been provided by the First Minister and the cabinet secretary, what further assurance can she provide that the work of the commission on widening access, and in particular its recommendation that one in five students at university should, in future, be from deprived backgrounds, will not be undermined by any attempt by the Scottish Funding Council to cut the existing funding available for programmes to support the entry into university of working-class students? I am very clear that there must be no diminution of effort. I made it very clear in my letter of guidance to the Scottish Funding Council that the Scottish Government will expect the funding council to drive further and faster progress in the widening access agenda, using all the levers at its disposal and, of course, informed by the findings of the recommendations from the commission on widening access. I would also expect to see the progress reflected in continued improvements in national measures and having immediately accepted the commission's recommended target that, by 2030, 20 per cent of students from the most deprived backgrounds must represent 20 per cent of entrants to higher education. Far from there being a reduction in the number of students from poorer backgrounds, we very much expect numbers to increase. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on national pay negotiations in the college sector. Progress has been made. The vast majority of colleges have signed up to national bargaining and three out of four unions have accepted the pay offer for 2015-16. I have made clear to the EIS and management side my three immediate priorities—the pay award for teaching staff, a formal commitment to national pay bargaining from those who have not yet done so—and a clear road map with short to medium term milestones for harmonising the terms and conditions of college staff. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and I note the three points that the cabinet secretary makes. However, I have serious concerns for students in further education, including those who study part-time, who could lose out on a large proportion of their time with lecturers. There must be a fair arrangement for lecturers who work beyond the call of duty, making it possible for marking, planning and supporting individual students to be done within the contracted hours. Having talked with Russell Taylor, a union representative at Borders College in my region, I asked the cabinet secretary, does she believe that the imposition of a pay award on FE lecturers makes it more likely to resolve the dispute amicably and what action could be done to avoid the first day of the strike of the 32 days ahead? Claudia Beamish touches on a number of very important points, Presiding Officer. NUS Scotland has also written to me to share the concerns that she articulates with regard to the impact of strike action on students, particularly in the all-very important third term that we are approaching. The priority has to be on the resolution of the dispute. It is indeed for employers to account for imposing a pay deal. I have met the employer side this week, and I am advised that there has been further constructive dialogue. I repeat my view that both the trade union side and employers must continue to engage in that constructive dialogue, as industrial action is not on anyone's interests, not least students. However, the priority has to be on getting matters resolved. Mary Scanlon, please. I have an email from West Highland College, who I quote, is unable to sign up to the current national bargaining initiative because it threatens the financial viability and business continuity of the college. I welcome the fact that some have signed up, but where the disparity is the greatest—in other words, the UHI colleges—will the Government dig a bit deeper to help the colleges out because we do not want any initiative that would threaten their future? I will be very clear, Presiding Officer. I expect all colleges to be signed up to the principle of national pay bargaining. I have met the employer side this week to discuss how we can make that happen and to facilitate that. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on student association of the University of West of Scotland report, establishing a strong summer safety net, proposing how we can raise attainment in post-16 education. Cabinet Secretary. The Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages is tomorrow meeting the president of the Students Association, Jack Douglas, to discuss the report. Improving retention is a priority for colleges and universities and is one of the key performance indicators evaluated by the Scottish Funding Council as part of the outcome agreement process. The Funding Council continues to invest strategic funds to support improvement. That has delivered progress. Retention rates in the college sector have improved since 2008-9 and are at record levels in the university sector, but we want to continue to make progress and the Student Association are to be commended for their contribution to this important issue. I thank the cabinet secretary for the response. While summer support is an ambition for students, recent figures released by the Scottish Funding Council revealed a 2.4 million shortfall in term time bus refunds available for college students. What is the cabinet secretary doing to address the shortfall in support of our FE students? Of course, student support for students in the FE sector is at a record high of £105 million. That is a 29 per cent real-terms increase under the term of office of this Government. It is important to recognise that retention levels in the FE have increased to 75 per cent. We do want those retention rates to be higher in HE that is at 83 per cent and university retention rates are at 91 per cent, as I said in my original answer, at record levels. We know that retention is a complex matter, as Ablie explained and indicated in the Ruth Silver report. We also know that institutions are developing more sophisticated and adept means identifying students who need additional support and ensuring that they enhance their pastoral care of students. The cabinet secretary is aware of the poor retention rate among students, particularly first-year students at UWS and the student manifesto, which seeks to have this problem resolved. I am pleased to hear that she is meeting Douglas tomorrow. What progress has been made with implementing the student manifesto that highlights this problem and will any new protocols be put in place for this summer to try and address this matter? It is a very live issue. I know that Mr Scott that the last time he raised portfolio questions, and at that point he was seeking clarity on retention funds. I am pleased to say that the widening access and retention fund of £14.7 million is still in place, and that will, of course, facilitate further work in that area. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in reducing the education attainment gap. As outlined in the national improvement framework interim report, a range of measures suggest that we are making progress in narrowing the education attainment gap in Scotland. For example, school leaver data shows that the gap in attainment at SCQF level 5 or better has decreased over the past three years from 28 per cent points in 2011-12 to 23 per cent points in 2013-14. However, there is still work to do, and that is why everyone involved in Scottish education needs to relentlessly focus their efforts on reducing the impact of deprivation on education like guns. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. As the cabinet secretary may know, the area of Mayfield and East houses in my constituency has historically been ranked in the 10 most deprived in educational terms according to the Scottish index of multiple deprivation. Can the cabinet secretary outline what specific steps will be taken to help those areas ranked in this percentile? As the First Minister announced that we would bear intention in the next Parliament to make progressive changes to local taxation to raise an additional £100 million for schools annually, the funding will see the reach of our attainment fund extend to every part of Scotland, including the communities of Mayfield and East houses in Mr Beattie's constituency. We will allocate the money directly to headteachers so that they can invest in what they need to support children to learn and to raise attainment. It would mean that, over the next Parliament, we will commit over and above existing budgets an extra £3 quarters of £1 billion to raise attainment of the most disadvantaged children and young people in our country. The cabinet secretary will be aware that earlier this week Spice produced evidence that there is no mechanism that would allow the direction of those resources to schools, as she described, to be done. Can she explain in detail how that would happen? I do not think that I can explain that in detail in the time that I have permitted to me, but that is something that perhaps I should write to Mr Gray about. What we have tried to do in extending the reach of the attainment Scotland fund is to have a very comprehensive approach to some of the systemic issues. We are targeting resources nationally, at community level and at school level. I have taken a number of supplementaries, but we really need to make progress, because we are rather behind time. If I could make another plea for brief questions and answers, please. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Fife Council regarding future high school provision in Dunfermline. We have previously had contact regarding the future provision of high schools in Dunfermline in April, May, November and December of last year. The most recent contact that I have had with Fife Council about this matter is from Councillor David Ross, who wrote to me on 28 January, and I responded to the letter on 16 February. I thank the minister for his reply. Does he share my concern that pupils in Woodmill High School in my constituency are being taught in a category C building and that the condition of the school is continuing to deteriorate? In addition to its poor condition, the school is in a rapidly growing area of Dunfermline, and it is now literally bursting at the seams. Fife Council is keen to replace the school as soon as possible, but, given that no further funding is being available through the schools for the future programme, what likelihood is there that new funding will be made available to replace Woodmill High School in the near future? The member will be aware that there has been a great deal of support from the Scottish Government for Fife Council for a number of building projects. That is £58 million worth of funding, in fact, which has supported O'Chmuthie High, Buckhaven and Kirkland high replacement, Leavenmouth and Wade academy. I understand that, during phase 4 of the schools for the future programme, in the final phase, there were no applications from Fife, although Wade did feature in the earlier phase of phase 4. The support is certainly there. At a national level, I want to reassure the member that we have indeed had a great deal of success in removing children and young people from category C and category D schools, which is why we inherited the situation with our 84. The number of schools in good and satisfactory condition has gone up from the 61 per cent that we inherited in 2007 to 84 per cent now. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on the potential impact on education in Scotland of the UK with drawing from the EU. The Scottish Government believes that European Union membership is in the best interest of Scotland and the rest of the UK. We will focus our resources and continue to make the strongest case possible for a vote to remain in the EU. Last month, 103 university leaders across the UK urged the public to consider the vital role that the EU plays in supporting our world class universities. Eleven of those signatories were from universities in Scotland. Analysis published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research in March 2014 estimated that, in 2011, around 336,000 jobs in Scotland were associated with exports to the EU, of which around 6,000 jobs were associated with education. Through the horizon 2020 programme, organisations in Scotland have also secured €158 million in research and innovation funding. Other benefits of EU membership for our education sector include life-changing opportunities abroad for our students and researchers, and support for international collaboration, for example, through Erasmus+. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The cabinet secretary is just as aware as me that it was our very own Madame Eccos when he used to help to set up the original Erasmus programme, and the cabinet secretary made reference to students travelling and studying abroad. Is the cabinet secretary as concerned of me that a withdrawal from the EU might put at risk our participation in that very programme? Yes, I share the member's acknowledgement of the former SNP MEP, Winnie Ewing, and the concerns that she has articulated. Scotland's participation in the new 2014-20 Erasmus Plus programme is in line with our aspirations to increase student and staff mobility and to promote Scotland as a learning nation. Last year, 151 projects based in Scotland were awarded funds in schools, HE, vocational education, training youth and adult education to a total value of almost €13 million or 11.5 per cent of the UK Erasmus Plus budget, so we are punching above our weight to secure a strong share of those funds. To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the provision of libraries in schools in the Highlands and Islands. We recognise the important role that school libraries play and would encourage local authorities to provide such services as well as providing resources and support the improved children's ability to read, write, talk and listen, and often foster a lifelong love of reading and books from an early age. There is an important role for both school and public libraries to play in our read, write, count, literacy and numeracy campaign, and indeed in all our work to raise attainment and close the attainment gap. Is the minister aware of the level of concern in Argyll and Bute at the council's decision to cut librarian jobs from secondary schools? Does he agree that discovering books and the joy of reading an intellectual curiosity and inquiry outside the school curriculum is a key part of going to school and the removal of a highly skilled school librarian is deeply disappointing and will make it much more difficult to achieve for pupils in Argyll and Bute because it will deprive pupils of a most basic and important experience, enjoyment and skill? I am aware of some of the concerns that have been expressed not just about school libraries but about mobile libraries in Argyll and Bute. I very much agree with what the member has to say about reading for pleasure, reading for curiosity being absolutely central to a young person's achievement and absolutely central to a young person's life chances when it comes to closing the attainment gap. Does the minister agree with me that it was at rank hypocrisy for the cabinet secretary to be posing in a library for media opportunities the day after she voted to rip out another half billion from local government services that will close the very libraries that she was posing in? It is a question on the Highlands and Islands, so I take it that there is no requirement for you if you wish to respond. Merely other than to say that the member would know about posing. I remind all members of the need for respect in the chamber. To ask the Scottish Government how much it spends per pupil and how it is compared with England. Official statistics show that, in 2014-15, average revenue expenditure per primary school pupil in Scotland was £4814 and average revenue expenditure per secondary school pupil in Scotland was £6,790. Directly comparable figures are not available for England, but research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies suggests that average funding per pupil in England in 2014-15 was approximately £4,500 in primary schools and £6,000 in secondary schools. I thank the cabinet secretary for the very interesting answer indeed. Could the cabinet secretary outline whether total revenue spending on schools in Scotland has risen under the SNP since we were in government in 2006-2007? Yes, total revenue spending on schools has risen since 2006-07 under this Government by at least £220 million, or 4.8 per cent. Official figures show that councils plan to increase spending by a further £150 million in 2015-16. To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting the daily mile in schools. The daily mile, developed by Elaine Wiley, a retired headteacher at St Nynion's primary school in Stirling, is an excellent initiative. It is simple, free and flexible, and I am delighted to see it and other daily physical activity initiatives being adopted by so many schools across Scotland. In November, to support the daily mile, I wrote with the cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing to all headteachers in Scotland to make them aware of the initiative and to encourage schools to adopt daily physical activity initiatives appropriate to their circumstances. In December, Education Scotland published its resource approaches to physical activity in the primary years, featuring case studies about implementing the daily mile and other initiatives in primary schools. I thank the minister for his answer. Can the minister advise how many schools in Renfrewshire are currently taking part in the programme? Can he expand on how the initiative can help children and young people's health and wellbeing in the future? I understand that there are currently seven primary schools in Renfrewshire who are participating and three more who are intending to do so in the near future. On the benefits of the daily mile, it is something that is currently being studied at Stirling University, but I know from visiting St Ninians and other schools who are participating in this that anecdotally the benefits are very much felt, not just in terms of the health of the young people concerned but also in their ability to concentrate and attain at school. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that its policy on children's attainment takes account of the impact of poverty. The Scottish Government's policy on raising attainment will continue to take account of children, families and communities' effects by poverty. In the Scottish attainment challenge, we have used the Scottish index of multiple deprivation along an established set of indicators that show levels of deprivation in communities across Scotland to identify the seven authorities with the greatest concentration of primary age children living in the 20 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland. Using SIMD, we also identified an additional 57 primary schools outside the seven challenge authority areas that are serving the most deprived communities and they have been allocated money through the attainment Scotland fund. An additional 100 million a year will be invested in schools across Scotland as a result of a package of reforms to council tax outlined earlier this month by the First Minister. Further, the education bill, which was passed unanimously by Parliament last month, places legal duties on Scottish ministers and education authorities to reduce inequalities of outcome caused by social economic disadvantage. Finally, the national improvement framework focuses on raising attainment and closing the gap, delivering both excellence and equity. It will provide the evidence to make substantial progress in eliminating the attainment gap within a decade. I thank the minister for that response. I wonder if the minister can say anything specifically about what the Government is doing concerning the impact of poverty on children's learning in the early years, which I think also has a significant bearing on their attainment in key basic skills. We have set out already ambitions to expand, further expand early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours. That is building on the current expansion of 600 hours to three and four-year-olds and 27 per cent of the two-year-olds who will benefit most. In the last Parliament, we delivered free school meals for primaries one to three, benefiting 135,000 children, saving families £380 a year for each child. If re-elected, we will expand early learning and childcare to fully include day provision and will make sure that our youngest children get access to a healthy, nutritious meal that improves their capacity to learn without the stigma of means testing. We will also replace the Sure Start maternity grant with a new and expanded maternity and early years allowance. Lower incomes of 40 to 50 per cent of families might qualify, and the payment of birth for the first child will increase from £500 to £600 and will restore payments of £300 each for second and subsequent children. We will also make payments of £250 to help to meet the additional costs that will encompass parents' face of two further stages in their child's lives when they start nursery and again when they start school. We have a range, a comprehensive range of measures that we are doing because we understand completely that to ensure that we can allow children to flourish, that we have to act early and effectively in the early years and make sure that we are trying to address the attainment gap in the earliest years of children's lives. That is a comprehensive package that the Government is completely and utterly focused on. Question 12 To ask the Scottish Government what the pupil-to-teacher ratio is in special schools and how that compares with 2008. The summary statistics for schools in Scotland indicate that, in September 2015, the pupil-to-teacher ratio in special schools was 3.6. That is compared to a pupil-to-teacher ratio of 3.2 in 2008. We want all children and young people to receive the support that they need to learn. At the end of this week, I will publish my annual report to Parliament on the implementation of additional support for learning, which sets out that, in 2015, education authorities spent £579 million on additional support for learning and an increase of £24 million on 2014. The minister of that reply will be aware of the fact that there are 164 more pupils than there were in 2008, with a figure of 6,920, but there are 172 fewer teachers teaching this group. If this group is, in fact, a priority in terms of inequalities, what is the Government going to do to restore that ratio to one that is reasonable and to ensure that special needs assistants in these schools, which are also vital, are not cut with the present pressure on local authorities? The member will obviously be aware of the commitment that the Government has had to teach a number and teacher pupil ratios in terms of the relationship that we have set out with local government on that very issue. I know that the member will be familiar with some of the reasons why there has been an increase in the number of pupils who fall into this category in recent years, due to the way in which the difference is recorded. However, I am alive to the fact that we need to continue to ensure that we provide the services that are needed. I am very pleased about the fact that attendance has improved and that, crucially, attainment has improved among this group. We all need to work together to ensure that that trend continues. To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the benefits of the named person provision will be for children and families. This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that all our children get the best possible start in life, getting it right for every child, including the measures in the Children and Young People Scotland Act as an investment in all our futures. The named person provision will offer a number of benefits to children, young people and families. As the single point of contact, the named person will be well placed to where necessary, provide direct advice and support to the child and family or help them to access other services. The named person was a religionally developed, so families would not have to repeat their stories unnecessarily to professionals and ensure that there was better co-ordination across services to support the needs of their children. It aims to change the culture and practice of professionals, giving them the confidence, skills and knowledge that they need to put the children's needs and interests at the heart of services and support that they provide for families. I thank the minister for that answer and note my interests as a member of the advisory board of the National Autistic Society Scotland. National Autistic Society Scotland has added its voice to the long list of charities who support named person. We believe that the system will simplify and reinforce existing processes in ensuring the welfare of children in our society by bringing greater consistency and co-ordination to the support that is offered to families. However, it points out that, with 100 children and young people being autistic, it is important that named persons have an awareness and understanding of autism in order for their role to be effective. I ask the minister if she and her officials will make contact with the National Autistic Society Scotland to discuss the issue with them. I am grateful to the National Autistic Society Scotland for its support. Again, I reiterate that it will benefit families who have children with additional needs. It avoids them having to repeat their stories time and time again to different services in order to get the support that should be there for families when they need it. I absolutely make that commitment to meet the NHS or my officials to make sure that they can get their voices heard in the guidance and supplementary information that is necessary to ensure the good running of this benefit. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in implementing the British Sign Language BSL Scotland Act 2015. We have established a BSL national advisory group that will inform the development of the first BSL national plan. We announced on Friday that the group will comprise nine Scottish public bodies subject to the act and 10 deaf people whose first language is BSL. An 11th BSL representative is a hearing parent of a deaf child. The group will meet six times in the next 18 months and the first BSL national plan will be published by October 2017. I thank the minister for that answer. I'm sure that the minister will agree with me that it's very important for parents and families to get involved in the teaching of their child whilst they're at home. What specific support is given to parents with a deaf child to ensure that that deaf child can get the most out of their school? I very much agree with the member that we need to recognise that parents are the most important people in a child's life and that we need to support what they do. We're providing substantial funding for the national deaf children's society to deliver support to families with a deaf child, including teaching them family sign so that they can communicate. It's often a great difficulty for many families. As we announced last week, we have appointed deaf and hearing parents to the national advisory group. To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to the UK Government regarding international students and further education colleges. The Scottish Government remains deeply concerned that enforced changes by the UK Government to immigration rules are significantly impairing the ability of our colleges to attract talented international students from around the world. I wrote to the UK immigration minister on 15 February about my concerns. He replied just last week, again, outlining the rationale behind the UK Government changes. However, we continue, as the Scottish Government, to have concerns. Our colleges remain committed to further developing their portfolio of international activities and we will, of course, continue to do all that we can to support our colleges in this matter and make clear our concerns to the UK Government. I thank the cabinet secretary for that comprehensive answer. What she'll be writing to the UK Government about colleges is what I see as an inherent discrimination in the way colleges are treated further education as opposed to higher education. In that access courses such as HND into universities, the international students have to go home and apply again, rather than move straight on. I ask that the cabinet secretary continues to make the case to the UK Government in the strongest possible terms that Scotland's colleges such as South Lanarkshire College and East Kilbride offer unique access opportunities to students to move on to higher education and that they should be able to offer this to international students without the discrimination that is apparent in the current system. As a Government, we continue to remain concerned and will do all that we can in and around the implications of the tier 4 changes. The member raises a fundamental and important point about the role of colleges and the potential of colleges in the area. I know that South Lanarkshire College is in the member's constituency, and it provides excellent HND opportunities that offer articulation to universities, affordable fee structure and, of course, the ability of students to work part-time to gain experience and to support themselves while studying in Scotland. We also have to remember that one of our largest colleges, the city of Glasgow College, is a key provider of specialist higher education to international students. This year, over 4,000 students from more than 130 countries are currently studying at the city of Glasgow College. Scottish Government, what it is doing to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools? On 9 March this year, the Scottish Government announced funding of £1.5 million for a range of initiatives to support the delivery of science, technology, engineering and maths, that is STEM in primary and secondary schools. The funding will support classroom learning and STEM with training programmes for teachers of science and technology, a primary science mentoring programme and support for maths delivered by maths champions within each of the local authorities. The funding is, in addition to the making maths count programme that is designed to promote enthusiasm and confidence in maths. May I particularly welcome the support for maths champions? That's a personal interest, of course, but the cabinet minister will be aware that some councils have faced challenges in teacher recruitment in STEM subjects. Can he outline what steps the Scottish Government has taken to address any barriers that remain to recruitment? The Scottish Government launched a teacher recruitment campaign last September to encourage more people to become teachers. We are supporting a collaboration between the University of Stirling and Herriot-Watt University, whereby some of Herriot-Watt's STEM students will train as teachers in parallel with their undergraduate STEM studies. A part of the £12 million transition training fund is to help people who face job losses in the oil and gas sector to find alternative employment. We will be available to support those who want to become teachers. Thank you. That concludes portfolio questions. We now turn to the next item of business, which is continuation of stage 3 proceedings on the land reform bill.