Members' Business: The Royal Society of Edinburgh's Tapping all our Talents 2018 Progress Report of Women in STEM

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of The Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE) report, Tapping all our Talents 2018: A progress review of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Scotland; notes that this is a follow-up to the RSE’s 2012 report into gender equality in STEM; considers that STEM education is vital for the future of workforces, the economy and society in East Lothian and across Scotland; notes with concern the significant gender gap within STEM school education that is outlined in the report; further notes with concern that the proportion of women studying most STEM subjects across colleges and universities has seen, according to the report, "at best, incremental improvement, and, at worst, further decline"; welcomes the key recommendations of the report, and notes calls for the Scottish Government to give these issues serious consideration.