Education and Lifelong Learning
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio questions on education and lifelong learning. As ever, if questions and answers are short and succinct, we may get through more questions.
Unfortunately, question 1 was not lodged and a less than satisfactory explanation has been provided.
University and College Union (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the University and College Union and what issues were discussed. (S4O-04669)
I last met a representative of the University and College Union as part of a wider meeting to discuss the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill on 20 May this year.
I am pleased that the cabinet secretary has been meeting the UCU about the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill. She will be aware of press reports that raise concerns over the threat to the future of the well-respected religious studies department at the University of Stirling. My understanding is that those changes have been raised without recourse to the court or the academic council. Is the cabinet secretary confident that the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill recommendations will go far enough in improving university governance and accountability in such cases?
I have been aware of the press coverage of the potential closure of the religious studies department at the University of Stirling. I am also aware that it is the only place to study religion without being in a faculty of Christian theology. Obviously, universities are autonomous and responsible for managing their own course provision, but I expect them to manage their affairs in the spirit of consulting staff and trade unions, of course, and always to minimise any impact on students. The raison d’être of the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill is to ensure that every voice on campus is heard and that all interests—whether staff, student or academic—are heard in the governing body.
Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill
To ask the Scottish Government how the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill will maintain democracy in universities. (S4O-04670)
Ministers see the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill as creating a framework that strengthens our higher education sector and its institutions and traditions. To achieve that, it needs to be meaningful legislation that opens up the architecture of our institutions to be more diverse, inclusive and representative. At its heart, the bill seeks to enable every voice on campus to be heard.
Despite the assurances that the cabinet secretary has given to the sector, we heard evidence at the Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee this week from key leaders in the university sector who are concerned about the unintended consequences of the bill. Why does she disagree with David Ross, the chair of the committee of Scottish chairs, who yesterday reiterated his belief that the bill in its current form could damage accountability and diminish democracy in Scottish universities?
What Mr Fraser fails to recognise, of course, is that a range of views and opinions was expressed in the Education and Culture Committee meeting yesterday. There is a wide spectrum of views, and it is important to recognise that, although some senior voices in the world of higher education have concerns about the bill, there are other voices of equal importance among staff, student bodies and the trade union movement. It is important to consider all the views of all the stakeholders in the round.
At its heart, the bill is about ensuring that our world-class higher education system continues to evolve and remains fit for 21st century Scotland. We are not being unreasonable to expect the highest standards of governance, given that the taxpayer invests £1 billion every year in higher education.
In considering the views of all the stakeholders, can the cabinet secretary confirm that the highly valued role of rector will continue? Will she give an assurance that the rector will still be able to chair the university court as part of Scotland’s proud academic and democratic traditions?
The Scottish Government appreciates the very valuable role that rectors play in the ancient universities. They have raised the profile of the sector and been crucial in representing students. We have no intention at all of abolishing the position of rector. We are listening to the views of all stakeholders on how elected chairs would work in all our institutions. We will consider all constructive suggestions that are raised in evidence as we debate the detail of the bill in Parliament. It is important to stress that rectors have kept the spirit of democracy alive within higher education, and it is that spirit of democracy, transparency and accountability that we would like to extend to every higher education institution in Scotland.
Scotland’s Rural College (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet the head of Scotland’s Rural College. (S4O-04671)
I have no current plans to meet the head of Scotland’s Rural College. However, if there are issues that SRUC would like to discuss, I would be more than happy to do so.
SRUC recently failed to agree a merger with the University of Edinburgh. I am concerned about the impact of that development on my region, most notably on Barony College in Dumfries. There is concern locally that SRUC senior management do not value the further education provision at Barony and that they are selling off assets to pay for management failures. Yet the SRUC accounts show that the principal’s salary was £280,000 last year. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that the absolute priority of SRUC should not be inflated senior salaries but providing a wide range of training and education at all levels, including FE, in order to boost employment in rural Scotland and meet the needs of land-based industries, including farming?
Of course the priority should always be to provide educational opportunities that boost employment. I am acutely aware of the importance of agricultural skills to the economy in Dumfries and Galloway, and I understand why the member and the community are keen to ensure a continued presence for SRUC at the Barony campus. I understand that SRUC remains committed to delivering land-based education and training in Dumfries, but I would be happy to discuss the issue further with Ms McAlpine and a representative of SRUC.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the recent reforms to the protecting vulnerable groups scheme are sufficient. (S4O-04672)
Yes. We believe that the reforms of the disclosure and rehabilitation regimes in Scotland that took place on 10 September strike the right balance between public protection and the right of an individual who has spent convictions for less serious offences, and who has put their past offending behaviour behind them, to move on with their life. The reforms will continue to ensure that vulnerable groups are protected and that the background of an individual seeking to work with children and protected adults is assessed for relevant convictions. To that end, convictions for serious offences will continue to be disclosed even if spent.
I fully accept the need for additional scrutiny of a person’s background if that individual wants to work with vulnerable groups or in other sensitive roles. However, I am aware of a case in which my constituent has “Other Relevant Information” on his protection of vulnerable groups scheme record, which was placed there at the request of the then chief constable of Strathclyde Police. Despite approaching Disclosure Scotland, Police Scotland and the Information Commissioner’s Office, my constituent has been unable to obtain details of the “Other Relevant Information” that is held on his file, which has now had a detrimental effect on his coach and taxi business. What recourse, if any, does my constituent have in this situation? In addition, are there any plans to give Parliament a further opportunity to scrutinise the reforms and to change that anomaly?
I thank the member for raising the issue. It is important to realise that the reforms are about making sure that the regime that is in place is proportionate, so that it ensures that people can move on with their lives. However, that has to be balanced with making sure that the right information is there, so that people can make good decisions about who is going to be working with, for example, people who have vulnerabilities.
We have been in a period of consultation on the disclosure regime since the cabinet secretary made the statement on the reforms to Parliament. I am happy to meet the member to hear from her the specifics of the case that she is involved with to see whether that will help to move the issue forward. I am also happy to make available to her the opportunity to make any other representations that she wants to make to the justice minister.
Inverclyde Council (Education)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Inverclyde Council to discuss education matters. (S4O-04673)
We are in frequent contact with Inverclyde Council about a wide range of education matters. In particular, Dr Allan performed the sod-cutting ceremony for the new St Patrick’s primary school in Greenock on 23 September, and I attended the launch of Inverclyde Council’s attainment challenge on 14 August as one of the keynote speakers.
As a result of the Tory cuts to working tax credits, 22,000 children in Scotland between the ages of three and 15 will lose their entitlement to free school meals. How will Inverclyde Council be expected to deal with those Tory cuts? Can anything be done to mitigate the effects of this attack on the least well-off in Inverclyde and in Scotland as a whole, who stand to lose their entitlement to free school meals and to childcare?
The Scottish Government will always act to protect the rights of disadvantaged children and their entitlement to free school meals and to early learning and childcare, whether that is in Inverclyde or across Scotland.
Mr McMillan highlights the impact of the changes to working tax credits and child tax credits that were made in the United Kingdom summer budget. They will have a potential impact nationally, with 22,000 pupils losing their entitlement to free school meals and 2,000 two-year-olds losing their entitlement to early learning and childcare.
Consequently, I pledged two weeks ago to safeguard the entitlements of thousands of children from lower-income households by changing the regulations in Scotland to ensure that those children remain eligible for free school meals and for early learning and childcare. The Government remains committed to tackling child poverty head on, despite the challenges from the UK Government.
Energy Drinks (Impact on Classroom Behaviour)
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it is aware of that energy drink consumption by pupils during the school day may impact on classroom behaviour. (S4O-04674)
The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008 contain standards that all drinks that are provided in schools must meet. The regulations do not allow any energy drinks to be made available at any time of the school day. We will continue to monitor all evidence on energy drinks and will carefully consider recommendations that are made in relation to their sale to children and young people.
I hear from secondary school teachers that the classroom environment that they encounter in secondary 2 to 4 post lunch time can be disrupted and that they believe that pupils are easily distracted because they have purchased and consumed such products off the school campus.
Down south, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers and Swanswell, which is a drug and alcohol charity, have teamed up to look into energy drink consumption by pupils. What steps might be taken to determine the scale of the problem here in Scotland?
The member raises a serious point. An exemption applies to food and drink, including energy drinks, that are brought into a school by a pupil as part of a packed lunch or purchased at a shop outside the school gates.
The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 requires education authorities to make health promotion a central purpose of schooling, and allowing children to consume unhealthy products such as energy drinks on school premises would run contrary to that message. Schools are encouraged to consider that when setting their policies about what products they allow their pupils to bring into schools.
I am willing to meet Mr Dey to discuss some of the issues that he has raised, if he so wishes.
North Lanarkshire Council has banned fast-food vans within 250m of schools in an effort to improve the health and wellbeing of pupils; the decision to do that has also already been taken by Glasgow City Council and East Ayrshire Council. Does the Scottish Government support North Lanarkshire Council’s efforts to improve pupils’ health through bans on snack vans? What assistance can the Government give the council in fighting the legal challenge to the ban? Does the minister feel that it would be appropriate for an amendment to be lodged to the Education (Scotland) Bill to give local authorities the additional powers that they might need as a result of that legal challenge?
Notwithstanding the legal issues that the member raises—I would not wish to comment on such matters if they are on-going—we hope that local authorities will make the best use of the current rules and regulations that are available to them, through some of the provisions that the member mentions and through some of the legislative requirements that I mentioned in response to Graeme Dey, in order to create healthy environments around their schools.
Decisions about the environment surrounding schools rest solely with local authorities, but I hope that that reply gives the member some comfort that we want to help to promote healthy activities in schools and that the rules and regulations are there to support local authorities.
Students (Universal Credit)
To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with further and higher education institutions to ensure that students in receipt of employment and support allowance will not find their education disrupted when universal credit is rolled out. (S4O-04675)
The Scottish Government has long made it clear that we have great concerns about the implementation of universal credit. Although we welcome the limited powers over universal credit that have been proposed in the Scotland Bill and we are working to implement them as soon as possible, that will not be enough to protect students from all of its impacts or, indeed, from the United Kingdom Government’s welfare reforms. However, we are working closely with the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, Colleges Scotland and the Child Poverty Action Group to monitor and assess the impact on students.
Many of the students from deprived areas in my Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency benefit greatly from ESA. Will the cabinet secretary outline how it has contributed to reducing the attainment gap across Scotland?
I am aware that a part-time student can claim contributory ESA if they have contributions or income-related ESA if they are on a low income without also having to receive disability living allowance or a personal independence payment. As Mr Beattie has pointed out, the allowance has supported disadvantaged students in accessing educational opportunities and has helped to address inequalities in educational outcomes.
I have made it clear that the Scottish Government continues to have concerns about the implementation of universal credit and, if the member wishes to write to me in greater detail on these matters, I will be more than happy to ensure that his comments are fed into any discussions that the Government has with the UK Government on ESA.
Early Years Education
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is putting in place to improve early years education. (S4O-04676)
We have invested £329 million over two years to increase entitlement to 600 hours of early learning and childcare per year for all three and four-year-olds and for the 27 per cent of two-year-olds who will benefit the most. Around 20,000 two-year-olds from the poorest families will be eligible over the course of the year. We also intend to almost double funded provision to 1,140 hours per year by the end of the next parliamentary session.
The minister will be aware that the UK Government’s welfare changes will lead to almost 2,000 two-year-olds losing their entitlement to early years education. What is the Government doing to protect children, and does it have the additional resources to put those protections in place?
The member makes a good point, and he has highlighted the 2,000 reasons why that change is wrong. As the cabinet secretary said in response to Stuart McMillan, she is changing the regulations in Scotland to ensure that those two-year-olds remain eligible for free school meals and for early learning and childcare.
We will always put our children and young people first in our efforts to create the fairer country that we seek. That is what underpins our commitment to getting it right for every child and the legislative changes that we made through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. We will always want to ensure that all children get the best start in life and the chance to flourish, and we will continue to do that despite the challenges that the UK Government presents to us in our efforts to pursue that aim.
Given that children who live in poverty are twice as likely to experience early language difficulties between the ages of three and five, what specific measures will the minister take to address the attainment gap that develops before children even start school? Will she consider making early literacy a focus of inspections?
Our huge commitment to narrowing the attainment gap can be evidenced in the recent read, write, count campaign. It builds on the great success of our play, talk, read campaign, which promoted the message that parents should play with, talk to and read to their little ones from day 1, because we know that such an approach has benefits with regard to literacy challenges. I point the member to recently published information from the growing up in Scotland study, which shows that we are making good progress in literacy, and I hope that she will contribute to our thinking on how we continue to close the attainment gap and focus on the early years as the best place to start that work.
Teacher Shortage (North-east Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the reported teacher shortage in the north-east. (S4O-04677)
We have increased student teacher intake targets in each of the past four years, committed £51 million to safeguard teaching posts and launched a teacher recruitment campaign.
I welcomed the invitation to attend the teacher recruitment summit in Aberdeen last week. We discussed the positive work that the Scottish Government and local authorities are doing and explored the scope to build on it. I have written to the seven local authorities concerned, setting out proposals for further action, including extending the provision of part-time distance learning initial teacher education and incorporating regional workforce intelligence into the national workforce planning process on a more structured basis.
Does the minister agree that it is important to local communities that young people in particular who might have had to leave their area to study elsewhere can find employment in their own local area? In that context, what is the Scottish Government doing to encourage routes into teaching, especially for the young and newly trained who live in or are attached to the north-east?
I agree with that sentiment. The Government is committed to working with local authorities and universities to develop routes into teaching that enable people to remain within their local area. That is why we brought the University of the Highlands and Island on-stream as an initial teacher education provider, and why we have increased the number of student places for initial teacher education across Scotland, especially at the universities of Aberdeen, Dundee and the West of Scotland.
Aberdeenshire is one of the local authorities to have benefited from the funding that the Government provided to enable the University of Aberdeen to develop the part-time distance learning professional graduate diploma in education course so that partner local authorities can develop existing staff as primary teachers on a part-time basis while they continue in their employment. At the teacher summit, it was clear that that innovation has been widely welcomed by local authorities, and I have asked my officials to explore with partners how the distance learning initial teacher education could be extended to the secondary sector.
Many qualified and experienced primary and secondary school teachers are available and ready to work, particularly in Moray—next door to the north-east—but, because they have an English qualification, they are not recognised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. Can a solution be found to that as soon as possible so that children in Moray are not sent home again this winter because of teacher shortages?
It is crucial that teachers in Scottish schools have qualifications to teach, and I am sure that Mrs Scanlon agrees with that. It is also worth recognising that the GTCS, which was at the summit in Aberdeen, already registers a large number of teachers who have come from south of the border.
Mrs Scanlon might also be interested to note that the GTCS has recently finished a consultation on two important proposals that will introduce more flexibility into the system to help with the situation across Scotland, but particularly in Moray and the north-east. One proposal is around equivalency testing, and the other is for registration that is provisional on certain conditions being met within a timescale. I hope that Mrs Scanlon agrees that those proposals show a willingness on the part of the GTCS to maintain standards always and to show flexibility when possible.
Teacher Numbers
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the impact of the agreement to maintain teacher numbers. (S4O-04678)
The Scottish Government has committed £51 million to safeguard teaching posts, and we have been in regular discussions with local authorities to support them to meet their commitment to maintain teacher numbers and pupil teacher ratios at 2014 levels.
The Education and Culture Committee recently heard concerns from representatives of local authorities across Scotland that the Scottish Government’s decision to set strict teacher number limits for each individual council has removed the flexibility that they need to match the demand for teachers with the supply.
It was also suggested that in order to meet the Government’s demands, imposed via the threat of a £50 million cut to their budgets, councils are having to lay off support staff. Can the cabinet secretary therefore confirm how many janitors, cleaners, and kitchen, administrative and other support staff have lost their jobs since the deal was put in place? What estimates have been made of the further jobs losses over coming years? Does the cabinet secretary believe that the loss of those posts is in keeping with the Government’s stated commitment to meet the needs of the lower paid?
I would have hoped that Mr McArthur would agree with me that going the extra mile to maintain teacher numbers at the 2014 level was an important and crucial step to take, particularly as we are embarking on a journey where we are all—across the chamber and across every local authority in Scotland—increasing our resolve to close the attainment gap. We know that a good-quality, professional graduate teacher workforce is crucial to doing that.
It is important to stress, too, that every local authority entered into an agreement with the Government, but it is no secret that this Government would have preferred a national agreement as opposed to having 32 separate agreements. In the weeks and months ahead, we will certainly continue to have a dialogue with local authorities and our partners in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to see whether we can make progress in that area.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the particular challenges of recruiting and maintaining teachers in rural areas such as Dumfries and Galloway. What is the Scottish Government doing to help the council maintain its teacher numbers?
Ms McAlpine makes the point that, in the same way as there have been recruitment and retention issues in the north-east of Scotland, there have been challenges in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities, universities and, as I indicated in an earlier answer, the General Teaching Council for Scotland—as well as other professional associations—to explore how we develop innovative solutions to the challenges in and around the recruitment of teachers in particular parts of the country.
As a Government, we have supported a partnership between Dumfries and Galloway Council and the University of the West of Scotland to offer a route into teaching for existing local authority employees. I am pleased to say that 10 students started on that programme last month, and we will be discussing the potential to build on that model with the local authority and the university.
On the subject of centrally mandated targets, what plans does the Scottish Government have to increase the extent to which local authorities are held to account on the outcomes for the public as opposed to the inputs?
If I caught Mr Buchanan’s question right, I think that he is touching on the important point of how we need balance in our education system. The debates on teacher numbers and how much resource goes into the system are very important, and this Government’s position has been well rehearsed this afternoon. I think the point that the member is making is that, at the end of the day, it is about outcomes for our children. As a Government, we are determined to be led and informed by the evidence about what works to improve educational outcomes for all our children.
Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council and what issues were discussed. (S4O-04679)
I met the chair and chief executive of the Scottish funding council on 24 September. We discussed matters of importance to further and higher education.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that recently the Scottish funding council rejected a bid from the University of the West of Scotland to get financial assistance to rebuild its Lanarkshire campus in Hamilton. She may not be aware—and I ask whether she is aware—that the local chamber of commerce recently estimated that the existence of that campus in Hamilton contributes £70 million to the local economy.
Given that UWS is now considering options that may involve relocating from its current Hamilton base, will the cabinet secretary argue with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy to find some money from the underspend that has recently been exposed to invest in the much-needed campus on the current site? That would ensure that the adverse economic impact of the SFC’s decision could be reversed and that the UWS could start to go ahead with its exciting and competitive project on the Hamilton campus site.
I understand the value to a town of having a university campus, and I understand why any community would want to retain a university campus.
I know that Michael McMahon, like other constituency members such as Christina McKelvie, has been taking a close interest in the redevelopment of the UWS Hamilton campus—
They are my constituents.
I apologise to Mr McMahon, as my geography of Lanarkshire is not as smart as it should be. However, it is clear that there is a cross-party interest among members in the chamber with regard to UWS and the proposals for where the campus should be located.
UWS is looking at an options appraisal. At a local level, councillors appear to be united—again, across the political divide—on the matter. Although the SFC has been unable to deploy £25 million to match fund proposals at this point, it has indicated that it is supportive of the project and that the redevelopment of the UWS Hamilton campus will feature as one of the highest priorities when the SFC develops and publishes its infrastructure investment plan.
Early Years Learning
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the role that families can play in their children’s learning and what it is doing to increase the quality of early learning and childcare services. (S4O-04680)
We know that parents are the biggest influence on the future outcomes of our children, and that supporting them is essential. That is why we are investing £2.7 million this year in bookbug and in play, talk, read activities for pre-school children, and why we launched in August the read, write, count programme, which aims to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of children in primary 1 to 3.
Save the Children recently submitted evidence to the Education and Culture Committee on the delivery of the FAST—families and schools together—programme, which focuses on supporting parents who are disadvantaged by poverty to engage positively in their children’s learning. What can the Scottish Government do to ensure that the FAST programme continues to prosper? Would the Government consider producing national standards on parental engagement and support?
I thank Chic Brodie for raising that point. I have seen at first hand the FAST programme in action in West Dunbartonshire and I was impressed by what I saw. The programme builds on parents’ assets and provides a positive experience for children and their families, and I understand that it has helped to improve outcomes for children.
We will consider the evidence from the FAST programme evaluation, and we will continue to work with Save the Children to consider the role that FAST and similar parental engagement methods can play in our attainment programme.
With regard to the proposal for national standards, the Government works with the national parental involvement stakeholder group to monitor and develop national policy on parental engagement. The group is currently developing its work plan for 2016 onwards and we will invite Save the Children to a future meeting of the group in order to consider a full range of ways to increase the quality, breadth and depth of parental engagement and family learning.
Rural Schools and Nurseries (Closure)
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the closure of rural schools and nurseries. (S4O-04681)
Rural schools and nurseries are often highly valued by their community, and it is important that any proposal to close one of them is given full consideration and complies with the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, which were strengthened in 2014.
The cabinet secretary will know that Highland Council has mothballed Edinbane and Struan nurseries and is appealing in favour of closing Knockbreck, Edinbane and Struan primary schools on the Isle of Skye. It is doing so to try to block the reopening of the nurseries, and is using that as an excuse. Does the cabinet secretary agree that such arrogant behaviour by Highland Council ill becomes a supposedly democratic organisation, which should deal with the case of each nursery on its own merits?
Of course I agree that nurseries are essential to communities and to the wellbeing and education of children. I am aware of the case that the member mentions and the sensitivities that are associated with it. However, as it is currently before the courts, the member will appreciate that I am limited in what I can say. Dr Allan or I would be more than happy to meet Mr Thompson to discuss the issue further once the legal process has concluded. However, until the matter is resolved, the council may not implement those proposals either wholly or partly. In the meantime, we expect the council to meet its statutory obligations relating to the provision of early learning and childcare.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the proposed closure of nurseries at Ayrshire College, and my constituents and I are particularly concerned about the proposed closure at the Ayr campus. Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns about that and does she agree that further efforts should be made to make the nursery viable and keep it available to students, staff and members of the public if need be? Can she do anything to help and to protect the jobs of the nine members of staff?
As Mr Scott knows, the topic came up yesterday at topical question time. I share the disappointment of local members with the decision. Ayrshire College advises that the nursery is currently economically unviable and is costing £400,000 to maintain. Nonetheless, 37 children currently use the nursery. The college also advises that nine members of staff from the campus will be offered redeployment. I am more than happy to meet the member and any other local member to discuss their concerns about the matter.
Colleges (Staff Morale)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Unison Scotland survey claiming that staff morale at colleges “is at rock bottom with 79% of respondents saying staff felt negative or extremely negative”. (S4O-04682)
Much of the progress that has been made in recent years in Scotland’s colleges has been possible only because of the commitment and professionalism of staff. I want us to build on that while ensuring that staff are well led and supported. As the First Minister made clear last week, it is important to fully understand why some staff say that they are dissatisfied, and I intend to discuss the findings with Unison Scotland at our next meeting.
It is interesting that the cabinet secretary says that there has been progress. We know that 65 per cent of staff feel that services have got worse in the past two years, that part-time college places have been slashed and that there are 80,000 fewer female students compared with a few years ago. Will the cabinet secretary finally concede that that is not progress and that the Government has got it badly wrong with its agenda of college mergers and funding cuts? That is bad for staff and extremely bad for access to flexible further education, particularly for female students. Will the cabinet secretary concede that it is time to restore college support and funding?
I am conscious that 266 members of support staff across the sector responded to the survey. Although that is a low proportion of staff, I am nonetheless keen to discuss the findings of the survey when I next meet Unison. It is important to recognise that the college reform programme is a good example of public sector reform, because we are doing more for learners in the context of very challenging financial times. We now have more learners studying full-time recognised courses that lead to employment. There is a focus on skills for work and the local economy, which are absolutely the right priorities.
On the point that the member raises with respect to women learners, women form the majority of college students—the figure was more than 52 per cent in 2013-14—and women are not underrepresented in the sector. In terms of the number of under-25s, over-25s and women studying full-time recognised courses, the trajectory is upwards. However, we continue to provide a range of provision, including part-time provision, as we recognise that some people continue to need a more flexible approach to learning.
A very brief supplementary, please, from Gordon MacDonald.
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Given that pay scales are of concern to staff, can the cabinet secretary outline what progress the college sector has made on paying the living wage?
Very briefly, please, cabinet secretary.
Certainly, Presiding Officer.
I understand from Colleges Scotland that all colleges have made a commitment to pay the living wage. I warmly welcome that undertaking and look forward to further colleges becoming living wage accredited employers in the future.
Next
Fiscal Framework