Dundee SNP

Dundee SNP politicians are supporting teachers from overseas, invited to remain in Scotland under the Fresh Talent initiative, who could now be facing deportation as the result of changes in UK immigration rules and red tape.

The “Fresh Talent Initiative” was launched in 2004 and attracted applications from graduates of Scottish Colleges and Universities who wished to remain and work in Scotland.

Changes to immigration rules last year meant that Local Authorities should have re-applied as the applicants sponsor. In the case of a number of Dundee teachers this has not happened. The UK Border Agency are now suggesting that these teachers will need to return abroad and re-apply under tier 1 of the new points based work permit scheme for their jobs, which could mean a lengthy delay or even that they cannot return.

Stewart Hosie MP said: “There are valuable members of the community currently working in Schools across Dundee who, through no fault of their own, are finding themselves without valid work permits or status to live and work in the UK because of a changeover to the new points based system.”

“I have been assured that Dundee City Council is reacting swiftly to remedy this situation and have an application pending with the Agency.”

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said “It is my understanding that Dundee City Council was unaware of the changes to immigration rules last year but that new administration is moving quickly to assist those affected.”

Both politicians urged that anyone who may be affected contact them at their constituency offices (01382 623200) and they will be happy to take forward their individual case with the Home Office.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today expressed his disappointment at Scottish Government Education statistics which show that Dundee City Council’s record on class size for Primary’s 1-3 is the worst in Scotland.

In terms of the percentages of classes with 18 pupils of less, Dundee’s proportion of class sizes of 18 or less ranged from 3.1% in 2004/5 to 3.9% in 2008 while over the same period the Scottish average has increased from 10% to 13.2% and some of the rural and Island authorities have succeeded in getting more than half of their P1-3 classes to 18 pupils or less.

Commenting on the statistics, Joe FitzPatrick said: “Primary 1-3 are the crucial years in terms of child development and in terms of children developing future discipline. There is overwhelming evidence that small class size is the biggest influence in terms of benefit in children’s learning experience in these crucial early years at school.

“It is very disappointing that Dundee is the worst in Scotland in reducing class sizes and questions must be asked as to why Dundee City Council is such a poor performer compared to all other councils.

“In single stage classes in Dundee, there are between 23 and 26 pupils.

“Even taking into account that 26% of Dundee pupils are from the most deprived SIMD [Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation] zones, a comparison with Glasgow, where 46% of pupils are from the most deprived SIMD zones, shows that Dundee schools’ performed worse than Glasgow schools, which has 9.2% of P1-3 classes of 18 pupils or less.

“In my view it is long past time for a change of administration on Dundee City Council – and for new leadership. Dundee children deserve better.”

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick has today confirmed that he has taken up the case of Mike Barile who came to see him last week.

Mr FitzPatrick was originally unable to make any comment on the case due to constituent confidentiality but has received permission from Mr Barile to reveal that he has taken up Mr Barile’s case.

Mr FitzPatrick went on to say that he has arranged a meeting with Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education, to discuss the wider issue of classroom indiscipline raised by the case.

Mr FitzPatrick said: “It is clear that there is a lot of public concern on this issue. The overwhelming majority of pupils in our schools are well-behaved. There is however a small minority whose behaviour makes it difficult for teachers to do their job.

“We need to make sure we have mechanisms in place to support our teachers. There is increasing concern that this may not be the case in Dundee. This is an issue which Dundee City Council must address as a matter of urgency.”

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick welcomed the acceleration of £7.5 million this year (and additional funds next year) for Further and Higher Education announced yesterday by Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney at Holyrood as part of a £260 million package of measures to support the Scottish economy during the present economic downturn.

Joe FitzPatrick said: “Some of the funding, approx £250,000 is for refurbishment work at the University of Abertay Dundee.

“I welcome the announcement and am pleased that Abertay University will be able to go ahead earlier than planned with this key work to improve the energy efficiency of key buildings within the University.

“I am pleased that Dundee is to benefit from the Scottish Government’s deployment of resources to support the Scottish economy at this difficult time.”

The Scottish Government announced yesterday [Wednesday 3rd Dec] some of the projects for which they are bringing forward capital investment.John Swinney, Finance Secretary, announced the projects which are spread around the country and all areas will see the bringing forward of money for local authorities to a total of £260 million of capital next year.

Councillor Liz Fordyce, SNP Group Education Spokesperson on Dundee City Councillor today responded dismissively to a Labour List MSP’s attack on the cost of providing free school meals in Dundee.

Councillor Fordyce said: “Marilyn Glen seems to want to take the food from the mouths of our bairns!

“She is refusing to accept an assurance from Labour Councillor Pat Watters, President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities that the cost of implementing free school meals is included in the Scottish Government’s Concordat with local authorities.

“The free school meals to Primary 1 – 3 children does not come into effect until 2010 and yet she has already started a campaign to prevent free school meals being introduced on the grounds of cost!

“I would ask all parents and grandparents in Dundee to make their voices heard and demand that Labour politicians stop their campaign of ‘warnings’ and veiled threats about the funding and instead work with councils and the Scottish Government to ensure that the policy comes into effect.

“Free school meals for Primary 1 – 3 children is massively popular and will make a big impact on the health of children in Scotland.

“The money is in the budget for it. Of course, Council’s budgets like everyone’s household budgets are coming under pressure due to the financial situation but there are no grounds for Labour politicians to be attacking the scheme – where there is a will there is a way. Many Councils have already said they are keen to press ahead with the scheme.

“Labour politicians should stop their scaremongering and negativity and instead work towards improving the health and education of primary school age children.”

Students in Dundee have welcomed the Scottish Government’s proposal to exempt full-time students from paying for Local Income Tax.

John Swinney yesterday announced that the Scottish Government is actively considering representations on the proposal.

MSP for Dundee West Joe FitzPatrick said; “I welcome this announcement and hope the Government is able to offer support to students when council tax is finally scrapped and replaced with a fair system of local income tax.”

Gregor Murray, Convenor of Dundee Student Nationalist Association, said: “This news will be welcomed by students and student organisations across the country.

“Replacing Council Tax with a tax based on the ability to pay will make local taxation fairer for everyone.

“Although some students will not pay Local Income Tax, because they do not work, 67% of students in Scotland work to fund their studies or living costs while at College or University.

“According to the first annual Halifax Student Finances Survey, students in Scotland earn an average of £6198.

“When Gordon Brown and the Labour party doubled the tax on students by abolishing the 10p tax rate, they pushed tax bills for the average working student up from just under £100 to nearly £200 – a price most working students can ill afford.

“In contrast, the SNP Government is looking at the possibility of exempting those students from local taxation in Scotland, having already scrapped the graduate endowment fee. The difference in the attitude of Governments north and south of the border will not be lost on students in Scotland.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Dundee West MSP has given a warm welcome to the announcement by the Scottish Government that from August 2010 all primary 1-3 children in Dundee will get a free school meal every day.

Joe FitzPatrick said: “This is excellent news from the Scottish Government and I am sure parents in Dundee will be as happy as I am to hear about this.

“I know that in the areas where this pilot was run it was a huge success with many children having benefited from the provision of free healthy and nutritious school meals.

“It has also helped many families who may be just over the current income level for free school meals but would have found the cost of school lunches every day difficult to meet.

“Once again the Scottish National Party is delivering on policies that will make a real difference to hard pressed families in Scotland at a time of growing hardship.”

The Scottish Government announcement follows the publication of a report into the success of a pilot programme, which involved 35,000 children in West Dunbartonshire, Borders, Fife, Glasgow and East Ayrshire. It found that uptake of school meals among P1s to P3s rose from 53 per cent to 75 per cent. Within the target group of P1-P3 pupils not registered for free school meals, uptake increased from 41 per cent to 69 per cent.