02.07.2015
The outcomes delivered by Scotland’s main educational and cultural bodies are to be examined by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee.
With budgets ranging from £40 million to over £1 billion, the public bodies help to deliver key Scottish Government priorities in areas such as educational attainment, curriculum for excellence, training, culture and youth employment.
The Committee will scrutinise spending decisions and outcomes delivered in a series of evidence sessions that will explore how the organisations help to deliver tangible improvements to key public services.
The five bodies being scrutinised are Creative Scotland, Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.
Committee Convener, Stewart Maxwell MSP, said:
“There are a range of public bodies working in Scotland’s cultural and educational landscape. It is important that we understand the impact of these organisations, the value they add and how effectively they work together.
“We will be looking at their strategic objectives as well as how transparent they are in reporting on their work. The bodies play a major role in public life and it is important that they demonstrate how effectively they are spending public money.
“It is important we ask the difficult questions to a range of these bodies. This will allow us to better understand the functions and how they work, both individually and together. We will follow up with the Scottish Government the key points that emerge from our discussions.”
To aid its work the Committee has today (2 July) issued a call for submissions on each of these bodies. This covers themes such as:
• The tangible benefits Creative Scotland has achieved as a result of its funding structure.
• The relationship between Education Scotland and schools and local authorities.
• The effectiveness of Skills Development Scotland working in partnership to ensure a coordinated approach to learning, training and access to employment for young people.
• How successful the Scottish Funding Council been in helping universities to widen access and produce skilled graduates who are capable of sustaining a career.
• How the Scottish Qualifications Authority ensures it is providing value for money.
More information about the Committee’s evidence sessions and on how to respond can be found here.