To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding action to improve access to books for, and encourage reading by, children and young people. (S6O-04275)

I engage with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of matters. In relation to access to books and support for reading, we have a shared interest and responsibility across the education, local government and culture portfolios.

Thanks to that joint working, the Government has funded a large number of initiatives, of which Mr Briggs will be aware, including “Every child a library member”, “Bookbug”, “Read, write, count with the First Minister”, the “Reading schools” initiative and national schemes to promote both public and school libraries in partnership with the Scottish Library and Information Council.

I recently visited Craiglockhart primary school to see its free school library, which operates outside the school, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, where children can help themselves to books, parents can give used books and the whole school community can access them. It is a great example of a children’s free library.

Has the cabinet secretary had any engagement with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to make sure that every primary school across Scotland could have one of those built outside their school?

Miles Briggs has raised an important point about school library provision. In my work as education secretary, I go in and out of schools almost weekly and I see the power of strong school libraries. Mr Briggs spoke about the importance of their being open to the community. We provide funding through the school library improvement fund, which has provided additionality since 2017. In the past year, 17 schools have received shares of that investment to promote reading and to help to raise attainment.

I will take back to my officials the matter that Mr Briggs has raised about our engagement with COSLA. The new assurance board that I mentioned in my previous responses gives us an opportunity to raise that point, which I think is very worth while to pursue.

The investments that the Scottish Government has made are clearly having an impact. With that in mind, what do the newest statistics, which were released in December, show about the level of literacy in Scotland’s schools?

The curriculum for excellence levels that were published last year show some real improvement. They show record levels of achievement in literacy in Scotland’s primary and secondary schools, which I hope members across the Parliament will welcome. The statistics showed that 74 per cent of primary school pupils and 88 per cent of secondary school pupils achieved the expected curriculum for excellence levels for literacy—the highest figures on record.

They also show that the poverty-related attainment gap in literacy is the lowest on record. Although we recognise that there is still work to be done, I am grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge the progress that is being made. It is a testament to the hard work that being done by our teachers, schools, pupils and families, as well to as the investments and policies of the Government.