FMQs live blog: Scottish Budget, education results & NHS Scotland set to feature
First Minister Humza Yousaf is set to take questions from opposition parties from noon onwards - join The Scotsman's politics team to keep updated with the cut and thrust of the debates.
FMQs: Thursday December 7th
Some thoughts...
Scotland's OECD Pisa results - showing the nation's educational performance has slid compared to other countries - has dominated FMQs this week.
Humza Yousaf has dealt some blows himself though - taking a dig at the Tories for UK austerity, and at the Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton for his party's role in raising tuition fees during the 2010 coalition government.
It's been loud in the chamber, with lots of desk-banging and jeering from both sides, particularly when Yousaf was up on his soap box talking about the UK Government.
However, Yousaf is ultimately batting on a sticky wicket - it's hard to deny Scotland's educational performance has slid under the SNP's watch.
Yousaf fails to answer
Labour's Anas Sarwar asks Yousaf if the number of teachers for children with additional support needs has increased or decreased - but Yousaf says he does not have that information to hand.
It's likely Labour already know the answer to that question.
Sarwar comments
Commenting after FMQs, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "Our education system was once the envy of the world but now - because of this Government - we lag behind.
“Our children and teachers are working flat out but they are being failed by this SNP Government.
“The number of children identified with additional support needs has risen from just over 36,500 in 2007 to over 240,000 now – but in this same period, the number of ASN teachers has fallen by over 200; leaving many children without the level of support they need.
“Year after year, the SNP make promises to Scotland’s children, but year after year they fail to deliver.
“After sixteen years there’s no one else to blame – the First Minister must apologise to the people of Scotland for destroying our once world leading education system.”
Alex Cole-Hamilton's post-FMQs debrief
Alex Cole-HamiltonWe've just heard that every promise made: Class sizes, laptops, the attainment gap – you name it, the SNP have broken it.
There are young people leaving school this year who have only ever lived under the SNP.
So here’s a maths problem for the First Minister that will reveal the full extent of the trajectory of decline. In the education rankings the year before the SNP came to power, Scotland was awarded 506 points. This year it was awarded 471. Which is better?
"Generation of Scots failed", claim Tories
Douglas RossThe Scottish education system was once among the best in the world. On the SNP’s watch, our schools have plummeted down international school league tables.
The First Minister has admitted the PISA results were ‘poor’ but his head is in the sand over the scale of the SNP’s failures. He refuses to act.
Humza Yousaf doesn’t seem to be planning any urgent action to address these record, worst-ever PISA results. No wonder parents are worried about the future of Scotland’s schools.
A generation of Scots have already been failed and another generation are being let down by the lack of leadership from Humza Yousaf.
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