The Scottish Executive commissioned a report on this issue from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council(SHEFC) which was published on 10 July 2003. As the report indicates, there have recently been a number of positive developments inthis area, including new legislation, which should serve to improve theposition of contract research staff. In addition, the Scottish Executive has promoted the need for good practice in this area both in its A Framework for Higher Education in Scotland, published on 20 March 2003, and in its 2003-04 guidance to SHEFC which asked the fundingcouncil to work with key stakeholders to ensure positive action is taken.

I expect the first meeting of the Lifelong Learning Forum to take place later this year. The forum will provide the opportunity to bring together the key stakeholders in lifelong learning to discuss areas of mutual interest. I willannounce the membership of the forum later this year.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and, in particular, Careers Scotland.

We are currently considering future research options regarding the impact of class sizes but we have not yet agreed the scope or specification of the research.

Class organisation is a matter for education authorities taking into account the needs of individual pupils and schools. Class size maxima are set out in teachers' terms and conditions of service and secondary legislation for P1 to P3.

National Occupational Standards, developed by industry representative bodies, are embedded in all Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

The negotiation of contracts for school PPP projects is a matter for the local authorities concerned. Local authorities need to take a range of factors, including class sizes, into account in specifying their requirements for new and refurbished schools. The Scottish Executive is publishing this month guidance under the School Estate Strategy entitled The 21st Century School which highlights some of these factors.

The percentage of P1 to P3 pupils in composite classes at the date of the 2001 school census is set out in the table. The results of the September 2002 school census will be published on 26 August 2003.Number and Percentage of P1 to P3 Pupils in Composite Classes

	P1-P3
	Number of Pupils in Composite Classes	All Pupils	Percentage of Pupils in Composite Classes
Scotland	39,959	172,434	23.20%
Aberdeen City	685	5,970	11.50%
Aberdeenshire	2,897	8,198	35.30%
Angus	1,086	3,845	28.20%
Argyll and Bute	1,290	2,982	43.30%
Clackmannanshire	259	1,775	14.60%
Dumfries and Galloway	2,233	5,052	44.20%
Dundee City	499	4,603	10.80%
East Ayrshire	876	4,205	20.80%
East Dunbartonshire	580	4,171	13.90%
East Lothian	613	3,449	17.80%
East Renfrewshire	219	3,666	6.00%
Edinburgh City	1,329	11,992	11.10%
Eilean Siar	718	908	79.10%
Falkirk	748	5,087	14.70%
Fife	2,896	12,133	23.90%
Glasgow City	3,489	18,363	19.00%
Highland	3,358	7,382	45.50%
Inverclyde	524	2,946	17.80%
Midlothian	538	3,004	17.90%
Moray	1,121	3,226	34.70%
North Ayrshire	940	4,955	19.00%
North Lanarkshire	2,672	11,885	22.50%
Orkney Islands	235	732	32.10%
Perth and Kinross	1,386	4,331	32.00%
Renfrewshire	523	6,158	8.50%
Scottish Borders	1,485	3,669	40.50%
Shetland Islands	362	832	43.50%
South Ayrshire	721	3,596	20.10%
South Lanarkshire	2,871	10,529	27.30%
Stirling	723	2,968	24.40%
West Dunbartonshire	566	3,392	16.70%
West Lothian	1,517	6,430	23.60%

Source: September 2001 School Census.Note: Figures exclude pupils based in Special Units.

Class size maxima are set out in secondary legislation for P1 to P3 and in nationally agreed teachers' terms and conditions of service. The Scottish Executive does not issue guidance on how local authorities should ensure compliance with those class size maxima, leaving that judgement to local discretion.

We do not expect the introduction of class sizes of 25 in P1 to have any impact on class management of other primary school classes.