Minister defends vow to claw back money from councils to protect teacher numbers

There is no alternative to protect teacher numbers other than threatening to claw back money from councils if it is used elsewhere, the Education Secretary has said.

Shirley-Anne Somerville defended her approach to teacher numbers, after a Labour MSP said the funding situation is in “chaos”.

Ms Somerville said money given to councils to maintain teacher numbers must not be spent elsewhere.

Speaking to Holyrood’s Education Committee, she also said money for a new pay offer for teachers to try and resolve the industrial dispute will be found from the education budget over the next financial year.

Labour’s Michael Marra said: “This is chaos in councils.

“We can have a discussion about whether that’s a good thing or not, about teacher numbers.

“Where they’re left is having to make massive cuts in other parts.”

He said Dundee is about to cut Big Noise Douglas, a music programme for disadvantaged children.

Ms Somerville said: “If we didn’t come in as a Government and do something that protects teacher numbers I have a funny feeling that opposition parties would be jumping up and down.

“Indeed they were at First Minister’s Questions.”

She said the Government has tried hard to reach an agreement with local authorities on the issue.

The minister continued: “There’s no other alternative that I have in front of me or has been presented to me that would have protected teacher numbers.”

There was a bad-tempered exchange between the minister and Conservative Stephen Kerr as he pressed her on where money for the new pay offer had come from.

Unions rejected the offer earlier this month and more industrial action is expected.

Mr Kerr said: “This is deeply concerning.

“What you’re telling us in the final moments of this budget process is that you’re going to cut other education and skills programmes to the tune of £110 million.

“And we don’t know what the detail of that is and you don’t know either.”

Ms Somerville responded: “With the greatest of respect Mr Kerr, for the entirety of this teachers’ pay dispute, I have said that if the money is increased it will have to come from somewhere.

“So I genuinely don’t know how this is a surprise to you.”

Asked for more detail on where the money will come from, she said: “We will have to work through that in-year.”