The Public Audit Committee looks at reports published by the Auditor General for Scotland to examine whether public money is being spent efficiently and effectively.

On 2 October 2025 the Auditor General for Scotland published Scotland's colleges 2025.

The report says:

Scotland’s college sector continues to operate in an extremely difficult financial landscape. There was a 20 per cent real-terms reduction in funding for colleges between 2021/22 and 2025/26. Two targeted funding packages for colleges in 2023/24 were also withdrawn. Without changes to baseline funding, colleges will have to deliver even less to remain sustainable at a time when demands from students and employers are not being met. As college funding is also dependent on credit delivery, there is a risk that colleges prioritise courses that are less expensive to deliver over those that meet local need".

Read the report on Audit Scotland's website