Plenary, 06 Jul 2000

Meeting date: Thursday, July 6, 2000

Official Report 762KB pdf

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University of the Highlands and Islands

The final item today is a members' business debate on motion S1M-1009, in the name of George Lyon, on the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament notes with concern that UHI, the company promoting the University of the Highlands and Islands project, has not yet been designated as a provider of higher education, eligible for funding by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council; notes that this is a flagship project for the Highlands and Islands and a long held dream by many of its communities, and gives its wholehearted support to this vitally important project.

I think it very appropriate that the last debate of this parliamentary year before the summer recess should be on the subject of the future of the university of the Highlands and Islands. As the motion states, that university is

"a flagship project for the Highlands and Islands and a long-held dream for many of its communities".

I hope that the Parliament will give its whole-hearted support to this vital project.

It is quite clear to anyone who has been reading the press since 10 June that all is not well with the project, which is my main reason for bringing the motion before Parliament today. A number of key questions need to be addressed. I hope that this debate will draw a line under the press speculation and that this chamber will support the project and ensure that it goes forward and comes to fruition.

First of all—[Interruption.] First of all, I will ask the minister to switch off his mobile phone.

Secondly, I ask the minister whether the Scottish Executive is still fully behind the UHI project. It is important that he make a clear statement of the Executive's support. What criteria does the project still have to meet to ensure that it is granted university status? I have asked a number of written questions on that, but the criteria are still unclear to me. How long is it likely to be before university status is reached and accreditation is granted?

It is important that we get an explanation of what is going on inside the UHI project team. The newspapers suggest that not all is well. On 10 June, we read that there had been allegations of mismanagement, intimidation and autocratic leadership. UHI issued a statement denying that any of the staff had made a formal complaint. That denial was repeated publicly on a number of occasions. At the end of last week, Sir Fraser Morrison, the chairman of UHI, announced the establishment of an independent inquiry into staff complaints against Brian Duffield, the chief executive of UHI. Are those the same complaints that UHI denied existed on June 10? If so, why the denial? Will the inquiry publish its findings? If there are problems with the project, we need to be told what they are. If the allegations are upheld, what action will be taken? What role—if any—does the Scottish Executive envisage playing in the investigation? We also have to be told whether the person who has been appointed to conduct that investigation will be independent. Concerns have been raised about the role of Sir Fraser Morrison in the investigation. The investigation would be more helpful if it was seen to be independent.

I am not raising those questions to try to damage the project. Quite the reverse—I want the debate to air the issues so that we can draw a line under some of the damaging speculation that surrounds the project. Make no mistake: the project is supported by everyone who represents Highlands and Islands seats—in my party, at any rate. I hope that we get cross-party support on the issue today.

It is important that the speculation comes to an end and that the Parliament and the Executive send a strong message to all concerned that they must sort out their differences, use all their energies and resources and ensure that the project goes ahead as quickly as possible and that the long-held dream of the people of the area comes to fruition so that, in the near future, a university of the Highlands and Islands can be set up.

Thank you for taking less than your allotted time, Mr Lyon. Six members would like to speak before the minister. If all of them are to get in, they will have two and a half minutes each. Whether they all get in is entirely up to members.

The SNP has always supported the concept of a university of the Highlands and Islands and will continue to do so. I would be surprised if any party in this chamber took a different view. This debate, which I welcome, gives us an opportunity before the recess to obtain from the Executive an idea of what the barriers are to the achievement of that goal.

I hope that we will receive a candid and detailed reply from the minister. When he responds to the debate, will he indicate whether an alternative method of obtaining university status is open for consideration, namely that of seeking a royal charter? If that route is open, would it, if followed, allow the more rapid achievement of university status?

I echo George Lyon's comment that the review into the complaints to which he referred would have been better if it had been fully independent. I understand that the review that is being instituted will consider only the UHI processes—whatever that may mean—and not the substance of the complaints. If complaints are made, they should be investigated carefully, especially if they are complaints from staff.

There is a stark contrast between the funding that has been made available to the university of the Highlands and Islands project of around £9.86 million, which includes just over £2 million on the project's executive office, and the underfunding—or deficits—that are faced by a number of colleges. For example, it is notable that Inverness College has a deficit of £5 million, as the staff of the college have regularly pointed out to me. While staff at that institution are facing job cuts as a result of problems that arose from previous management errors, the university of the Highlands and Islands project is extremely well funded. I hope that the minister will address that point in his reply.

All parties hope that university status is achieved by UHI as quickly as possible and that any difficulties are resolved. I hope that the Executive is taking an active part in seeking to ensure that those difficulties are resolved as soon as possible.

I am delighted to have the opportunity of speaking in this debate, which I thank George Lyon for initiating. Last week, I promised students from Inverness College that I would lodge a motion on this subject, but the next day George Lyon's motion was in the business bulletin. None the less, I welcome the debate.

I am sure that there will be cross-party support for George Lyon's motion, just as there was cross-party support when we visited the new facilities at Craig Dunain in Inverness on Monday. I make that point because the Minister for Health and Community Care seemed to think that I should have been in Glasgow. We all have different priorities and I think that the priorities of the Highlands are important.

It is in the interests of no one in the Highlands to see the demise of UHI, given that degrees were previously conferred by the University of Stirling. I am sorry that Sylvia Jackson is not here, because her husband, Professor Jackson, did so much, in partnership with Inverness College, to establish degree courses in the Highlands so that students, including mature students, could gain the qualifications necessary to get local jobs. That partnership also helped colleges in the Highlands to stay open. Distance learning is all right, but we also need the personal approach. From my experience as a lecturer delivering a degree in business studies at Inverness College through that successful partnership, comparisons with the UHI became evident. This year, students of business studies at Inverness College are still graduating from the University of Stirling.

There is no doubt that the concerns about UHI—such as the claims of poor working relationships and poor management and the complaints that were mentioned by George Lyon—should be dealt with. Whatever the rights and wrongs of those difficulties, they must be overcome. There must be openness, transparency and accountability. It is not acceptable for us to read in newspapers such as the Highland News comments from unidentified UHI sources. If an institution receives public money, it should be publicly accountable. It is not sufficient to convene an independent inquiry into UHI grievance procedures. Surely the inquiry should also address the reasons for the grievance.

The fact that the UHI project will not receive university accreditation for five years is a concern. I am worried about a written answer to Fergus Ewing, which states that the many criteria for university status include student numbers. Is the criterion that 3,000 students are needed applied elsewhere in Scotland? If so, I would be seriously concerned.

As a lecturer at Inverness College, I found the experience disheartening: we were working harder and harder; we doubled, then trebled, class sizes; we could not get photocopies; and we had to stop using the phones. We did all that only to see more and more money pouring into the UHI.

We need greater understanding and a greater sense of partnership. More than anything, the UHI project must include and encompass all the students within it. As we speak, 15 people in Inverness are facing redundancy. The UHI project was not about 13 colleges obeying a centralised, bureaucratic structure. We fully support the UHI project and ask the minister fully to support getting the show back on the road with the right manager, who must have the appropriate skills to lead and to achieve that.

The concept of a university of the Highlands and Islands has been a long-held dream of the Liberals in the Highlands. The idea was first promoted by a youthful stalwart of Highland liberalism, when he was first elected to Westminster more than 30 years ago. That young man was Russell Johnston, now elevated to the rank of Sir Russell Johnston.

He is Lord Russell-Johnston, to be precise.

His hard work, diligence and perseverance eventually resulted in approval being secured some five years ago to establish the UHI project.

Members will appreciate the many difficulties that would be encountered in co-ordinating the various teaching establishments throughout such a vast geographical area as the Highlands and Islands: from the northern isles of Shetland and Orkney to the western isles—from the Butt of Lewis to Barra head—and incorporating the mass of mainland Scotland from Caithness to Campbeltown. It was a monumental task, which could not be undertaken or implemented overnight. I am sure that everybody would agree on that.

I am pleased to say that much has been achieved in a very short time. I suggest that our Scottish Parliament should be encouraged to take a keen interest and a much more supportive role in strengthening and securing the degree of excellence which the university of the Highlands and Islands project will ultimately achieve, to the advantage of all who have a desire and aspiration for success and lifelong learning.

The management and staff of UHI are to be congratulated and commended for the very difficult task that they have undertaken and for the excellent work that they have done to launch the flagship enterprise. Much has been achieved, and much more will follow. The possible has been achieved, and the impossible will take a little longer. I ask this Parliament to have the good sense and the vision to give UHI its continuing and unstinting support for the benefit of all the Highlands and Islands.

I am glad to have this opportunity to speak about UHI, and I congratulate George Lyon on securing the debate. It is such an innovative project, and was never just going to be rubber-stamped. It must show that it is as good as, if not better than, other universities.

I grew up in one of the more rural areas covered by UHI. Like many other people, I left home for further education. Some, however, did not, and that decision had to be made at a very early age. That is why it comes as no surprise to me that half the UHI students are over 25—around my own age. I dare say that most of them are accessing further education for the first time. In the western isles, 70 per cent of school leavers go on to further education; 40 per cent go on to higher education, compared to the Scottish average of a third.

Before UHI was set up, all the students going on to higher education would have had to leave home. UHI will help stop the brain drain, as it allows young people to decide where they are going to study. Half UHI's students are full time and half are part time. That shows that people who are employed, or who are full-time carers, can also take the opportunity to study. That assists lifelong learning, which is possibly more important in rural areas because of a lack of choice in career opportunities.

The development of community learning centres in my constituency has met with overwhelming support. Education is now available in small villages, and there are more than 50 community learning centres. The access to those small community learning centres is the big picture, and we must never forget that. Certain personalities receive more attention from the press and politicians, but that is insignificant when compared with the thousands of people who will benefit from the UHI project. Designation as a university will come if we do not lose sight of the big picture. I hope that we can all unite behind UHI.

Any situation in which there are 13 principals is bound to give rise to some disagreements, but I do not think that we should allow disagreements to cloud the final goal in this case.

The university of the Highlands and Islands is a bold and distinctive educational initiative. I am proud of the fact that it was Michael Forsyth, the former Secretary of State for Scotland, who got the project going. The benefits of UHI are clear to see. The UHI development—based on a collaboration of communities, individuals and organisations operating locally—has grown over the past five years, creating employment and new prospects for all who live in the region. In an area that is a fifth of the size of the UK, UHI supports lifelong learning opportunities through the development of personal and professional skills. UHI is unique in drawing on and supporting the region's cultural and environmental heritage, serving as a major catalyst for economic and social regeneration. UHI brings enhanced educational opportunities to 500,000 people throughout the region, as well as serving the wider needs of local communities.

The UHI concept has captured the imaginations of many people, both in the region it is to serve and well beyond its bounds. It is being talked about by people on the far side of the world. The mission of UHI—to establish for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland a collegiate university that will reach the highest standards—is an achievable goal. However, that goal is being placed at risk. If the people of the Highlands and Islands are to get a university of the highest standards, comparable to the world's best, higher education status must be conferred on the institution. It would not be an underestimation to suggest that the credibility of the whole operation is at stake over that decision.

UHI has passed with flying colours all the tests to which it was put by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Indeed, the UHI network has been shown to possess the appropriate qualities systems and the necessary standards to be granted full university status. Therefore, I call on Henry McLeish and his famous deputy, Alasdair Morrison, to grant UHI full university status in the higher education structure.

I have three points to make. First, I suspect that the situation is not nearly half so bad as some people make out. Parliament surely knows better than most people in Scotland what a rough time can be had at the hands of some of our friends in the press. You know that yourself, Sir David.

Secondly, Jamie McGrigor rightly touched on the issue of international fame and renown, and the key word is excellence. I have no doubt that the UHI will be an excellent university. There has been speculation as to whether Prince William will go to the University of Edinburgh or the University of St Andrews, and as to whether Oxford University and Cambridge University are doing their job. However, the fact is that real quality will be hugely important in selling the UHI, not only to Britain but throughout the world. We must never take our eye off that ball.

Thirdly, this concept is not an easy one to grasp. It is a radical one, and a huge amount of work has been put in to realise it. I used to be unconvinced by it, as Mr Peacock will remember. Over the years, however, I have become totally convinced by it. It should be remembered that, when the Open University was launched by Anthony Wedgwood Benn, there were many sceptics—not least one Margaret Thatcher, who eventually came round to it and saw it for what it was.

This scheme is designed to underpin the Highland economy. If it can attract students from Britain and the rest of the world to study aquaculture, the environment, engineering or whatever, that will bring money into the fragile local economy and will keep our young people there. It is all about keeping those we love in the Highlands. I believe that it will be a big step towards ending the Highland diaspora. Let us keep our young people in the beautiful Highlands that we love so well.

If I may say so, you have set a wonderful example of inter-party co-operation and self-discipline to the rest of the Parliament. Highlands and Islands members obviously have something going for them.

I totally agree, Sir David. It is significant that our final debate before recess is on a matter of fundamental importance to the people of the Highlands and Islands. It demonstrates why so many of us campaigned for a devolved Parliament. Over the past year I have found myself standing here on many occasions responding to debates initiated by colleagues in the Highlands and Islands, and always joined by the clan Ewing having a family gathering.

To pick up on some of the points made, I emphasise to Mary Scanlon that we are not talking about the demise, or anything like it, of the UHI. My friend Fergus Ewing ended on a positive note—a welcome departure from his usual contributions. On his point about the royal charter, it is a matter for the Privy Council. There is no tradition of the royal charter as a means to establish a Scottish university. Rhoda Grant's points were relevant and I share her ambitions. In the western isles we are, as she rightly pointed out, achieving record numbers of entrants to higher education. I agree that we must never lose sight of the big picture. I endorse what Jamie McGrigor said in his opening remarks. As Jamie Stone rightly said, the key word has to be excellence.

The recent adverse publicity has obscured the facts and has created alarm and confusion, quite unnecessarily. So I am particularly glad to have this opportunity to clear some of the fog of misunderstanding, underline the Executive's commitment to support a university of the Highlands and Islands, and clear up the role of UHI in achieving this goal. That is important not only to the Executive, but to everyone in this chamber. I am pleased that it has such widespread support, as demonstrated here tonight. I welcome the opportunity to affirm the Executive's commitment to an institution that will give the people of the Highlands and Islands high-quality higher education without, as Rhoda Grant said, having to leave home.

But there is misunderstanding about what UHI is trying to do, what the Executive is asking and where matters stand. First, it may helpful if I explain to colleagues what we mean by designation. An institution is designated as a provider of higher education, eligible for funding by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. Designation only gives access to funding by the SHEFC; it does not convey university status. UK higher education institutions work toward university status step by step. Designation is the necessary first step for any higher education provider hoping for university status. That is why the issue of designation is so important.

UHI, the company promoting the university of the Highlands and Islands project, applied for designation of its proposed higher education institution in December 1998. It hoped that ministers would be able to reach a decision by the end of 1999, and we shared that hope. But there has never been a fixed deadline for a decision, nor should there be—better to get it right than to make a premature judgement.

The department for enterprise and lifelong learning launched a consultation exercise on the designation application in April 1999. Responses highlighted a number of issues that needed to be resolved. We do not believe that any of those issues presents an insuperable obstacle, but they are important and must be resolved before a decision is reached.

The issues are both technical and constitutional. The former relate mainly to service level agreements between UHI, which will be the provider of higher education, and its academic partners, which will undertake the teaching of the UHI curriculum to UHI's students. The constitutional issues are about the respective roles and responsibilities of UHI and its academic partners. We need to be sure that those roles are absolutely clear and transparent and fully consistent with UHI's position as the provider of higher education.

Our officials set out the issues in a clear agenda for UHI to address with its academic partners. That agenda was contained in a letter of 6 April 2000. It did not specify a time frame for UHI and its academic partners to complete the necessary work. Obviously, it is in everyone's interests that that be done quickly, but there must be no room for misunderstanding. UHI is far too important for that. We will expect a detailed account of the action taken, and we will need to be satisfied that UHI and its academic partners are clear about the solutions and are happy with them.

Given what the minister has just said, does he agree that there might be some value in Highland MSPs, on a cross-party basis, meeting him and UHI management to discuss progress?

I would be happy, during the summer or after the recess, to meet all colleagues from the Highlands and Islands. We can do that as a matter of urgency as soon as we resume in September.

Henry McLeish met Sir Fraser Morrison, chairman of UHI, on 9 June, and Sir Fraser was able to give him an encouraging report on the progress that UHI is making. Henry McLeish and I plan to meet the UHI board in the autumn, and we are confident that we will hear of further progress. I suspect that shortly after that would be an excellent time to brief colleagues from across the Highlands and Islands.

I should point out that what we were asked to designate was not the university of the Highlands and Islands project. We were asked to designate a new institution called simply UHI. That is not an acronym. UHI will not be a university on designation, but it will have taken the first crucial step on the path to university status. There are exacting requirements that all UK institutions aspiring to university status have to meet—exacting, but achievable. That is the public's guarantee that universities have a proven track record of quality and that they are large enough, and diverse enough, to have earned the title. How long it will take UHI to get there is up to UHI. That, surprisingly, is not well understood.

I can certainly confirm the Executive's commitment to this very important initiative. At the meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands earlier this year, the First Minister announced an initial £1 million extra funding support for UHI towards remaining development work. That is on top of development funding totalling £9.86 million that has been made available to UHI over the four years since 1996 by the Scottish Executive and the former Scottish Office. That surely underlines the strength of our commitment to seeing good-quality higher education across the Highlands and Islands.

I quite accept that all this may take a little longer than everyone had hoped for. But it is because of the importance of the project that we are being so careful over UHI's designation application. Its future students deserve no less.

Will the minister give way?

I am about to sum up, Mr Ewing.

It was precisely because I realised that the minister was about to sum up that I thought that he might wish to take an intervention.

Are you giving way, Mr Morrison?

Yes.

I am grateful. I wondered whether the minister was going to cover the other point of substance that I raised. Does he feel that the public, and all those with an interest in the UHI, can have confidence in the scope and extent of the review that was announced by Dr Donnie Munro and Sir Fraser Morrison into the complaints about which we have read in the press, but the substance of which we know little or nothing about? Is the minister confident in that process, or does he agree that there should be a more independent inquiry into those matters?

I want to put it on public record that I have absolute confidence in what has been initiated. It is surely better for the future of higher education in the Highlands and Islands that its long-awaited higher education institution be set up on sure foundations. That way, this very important initiative will be able to go forward with confidence.

Will the minister give way?

I am into my last minute.

We intend to see realised the dream that so many in the Highlands and Islands have held for so long. UHI is taking that dream to reality, and we are committed to supporting it. Sir David, with your permission, I would like to conclude with a few sentences in Gaelic. I will, of course, make a full translation available.

I will ask you to repeat it in English for the benefit of people like me.

I most certainly shall.

I had a grandfather who spoke Gaelic, but it did not descend to me, I am afraid.

Tha mi toilichte gu bheil sinn air cothrom fhaighinn suidheachadh Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean a dheasbad air an latha mu dheireadh den chiad bliadhna do Phàrlamaid ùr na h-Alba. Nach eil e iomachaidh gun iad na faclan mu dheireadh a chluinnear anns an t-seòmar seo anns a' bhliadhna shònraichte seo, cànan nan Gaidheal? An urrain dhomh a radha as leth an Riaghaltais gun robh sinn taiceil don Oilthigh? Tha sinn taiceil agus cumaidh sinn e a strì airson ni a tha iomadachadh neach thairis mòran bhliadhnachan air a bhi ag iarraidh—Oilthigh air Ghàidhealtachd.

Sir David, I provided an adequate translation of what I have just said in the previous seven minutes of my speech.

That concludes the debate. I close the meeting with best wishes to all members for a fruitful, enjoyable and productive recess.

Meeting closed at 17:45.