Chamber and committees

The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education & Learning developed a set of ambitions in order to help inform its work, including consideration of the optimum way in which to deliver these ambitions, including through the establishment of working groups. Since then, discussion and work has been ongoing to refine the workplan, to ensure that it is able to enact the type of long term, complex, systemic change that is needed. I am committed to continuing and accelerating such work to ensure that girls and young women have a gender equal experience of education and learning.

The Scottish Government recognise the importance of gender-competent school estate planning.

The guiding principles within our Learning Estate Strategy, which was produced in collaboration with COSLA and sets out our strategic approach for managing the learning estate, makes clear that learning environments should support the wellbeing of all learners. Furthermore, it states that good consultation about learning environments, direct engagement with learners about their needs and experiences, and an involvement in decision making processes should lead to better outcomes for all.

It is the statutory responsibility of all Local Authorities to manage their school estate and the Scottish Government expects them to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all school users.

The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education & Learning developed a set of ambitions in order to help inform its work, including the development of an intersectional framework. Since then, discussion and work has been ongoing to refine the workplan, to ensure that it is able to enact the type of long term, complex, systemic change that is needed. I am committed to continuing and accelerating such work to ensure that girls and young women have a gender equal experience of education and learning.

The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education & Learning developed a set of ambitions in order to help inform its work, including focusing on data collection and analysis mechanisms. Since then, discussion and work has been ongoing to refine the workplan, to ensure that it is able to enact the type of long term, complex, systemic change that is needed. I am committed to continuing and accelerating such work to ensure that girls and young women have a gender equal experience of education and learning.

The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education & Learning developed a set of ambitions in order to help inform its work, including the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Since then, discussion and work has been ongoing to refine the workplan, to ensure that it is able to enact the type of long term, complex, systemic change that is needed. I am committed to continuing and accelerating such work to ensure that girls and young women have a gender equal experience of education and learning.

Education Scotland’s Improving Gender Balance and Equalities (IGBE) programme aims to establish interventions to effect long term cultural change with a particular focus on challenging gender stereotypes, and addressing the impacts of unconscious bias to encourage greater gender balance across occupations. The IGBE Programme works with school clusters to explore and assess interventions to address gender imbalances in participation, curricular preferences and learner pathways at every stage (3-18 years). The Programme is supported by £300,000 of Scottish Government funding in the current financial year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24499 on‎ 23 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25590 on 1 March 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24444 on‎ 22 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget.

In line with the New Deal for Business the Scottish Government is committed to engaging early retail representatives and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that any impact of any proposals on business is fully understood. Exploratory discussions with business organisations have already started and will continue alongside engagement with other relevant stakeholders.