Government acts to allow outdoors education Bill to proceed through Holyrood

Scottish ministers have acted to ensure a new Bill that aims to give every schoolchild the chance to take part in an outdoors education trip can proceed at Holyrood.

The member’s Bill from Tory Liz Smith would have fallen if the Scottish Government had not brought forward a financial report – known as a financial resolution – in support of it by the end of this week.

Children’s minister Natalie Don-Innes confirmed to MSPs on Wednesday that the Government has lodged the necessary papers.

But with Holyrood’s Education Committee having already estimated it could cost up to about £40 million to implement the legislation if it is passed, Ms Don-Innes made clear that concerns about the affordability of the Bill still need to be addressed.

She said: “Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that this Bill, should it become law, is fit for purpose, meaning it is affordable and of course it is deliverable.”

Confirmation of the financial resolution came almost six months after MSPs endorsed the general principles of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill.

Ms Don-Innes said she was “really grateful” to Ms Smith for her “willingness to work through a range of different options” on the Bill, including on its total cost and the workforce implications.

The minister said the Scottish Government “absolutely recognises the important role that outdoor learning in all its form, including residential outdoor education, can play in supporting the development of our children and young people”, as she added that Ms Smith’s Bill is a “significant positive opportunity”.

But she stressed “the onus is now on Parliament” to work with both Ms Smith and the Government “to address the challenges that have been raised in relation to funding”.

Ms Don-Innes said the Conservative has agreed to work with ministers to bring forward changes to Bill to “address the challenges of affordability and deliverability”.

Ms Smith said she was “absolutely delighted” that the Government had brought forward a financial resolution, saying this will “ensure that the will of Parliament is supported”.

She added: “I am very aware there is still an awful lot of work to be done with the Bill, but I think today is a very good news story for young people right across Scotland.”