Chamber and committees

I appreciate what the minister is saying about the technical nature of the amendments. However, would he be able to put on the record a response to the concerns that Universities Scotland has expressed on the amendments and the definitions that are being used, particularly with regard to issues around conflict of interest, transparency and other considerations potentially not applying to training providers and applying only to colleges and universities? Will the minister clarify whether that was the intention and what consideration he has given to that point?

Scottish Labour welcomes the intent behind many of the amendments in the group because we have been clear that there are significant gaps in the existing apprenticeship and funding landscape. There is unmet need both for young people in the skills system and businesses that need apprenticeships.

Many of the reflections that we have heard in the debate so far are really important, not just in relation to young people in the skills system but in relation to the importance of the breadth and depth of apprenticeships across lifelong learning and across the opportunities that are provided for everyone.

We are concerned, and have been concerned for some time, about the lack of data on colleges, which means that there is not a clear understanding of how many qualified apprenticeship applicants are being turned away or how that relates to the needs that industry puts forward and advocates for. What we do know is that learning providers requested 34,000 starts in 2024-25, for example, compared with actual starts of around 25,000. We also know that there are major skills shortages across the economy. Indeed, recent research by Scottish Engineering found that 20 per cent of skills demand has been unmet due to real-terms funding cuts to apprenticeships in Scotland.

That is why we have advocated, both during the bill process and more widely, for alignment of college funding with skills need, industrial strategy and employment outcomes, and to give colleges more independence and flexibility, particularly in terms of their finances, to unlock more co-investment from industry. That is also why we are supportive of reform to skills delivery and careers advice, to empower regional collaboration and leadership to ensure that Scotland’s skills delivery matches local business needs—again, much of this has been spoken about in relation to many of the amendments. It is why we must address unmet need in Scotland’s apprenticeship system by boosting funding for apprenticeships, so that every qualified applicant in priority sectors and occupations can be guaranteed a place.

Although I welcome the intent behind the amendments in this group to increase the number and scope of apprenticeships and to deal with the lack of opportunities for many of Scotland’s young people, I have some specific concerns around amendments 43, 44 and 86 in relation to whether we should tie the hands of the council into the future to permanently expand the range and scope number. We might want to err on the side of ensuring flexibility in the system to allow the council to be responsive to the needs that will emerge and develop.

I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of the statement and for the correspondence relating to joining the group.

A year ago, Audit Scotland bluntly put the challenge in context when it said that the Scottish Government had

“failed to plan effectively for its inclusive approach to additional support for learning.”

That is why, collectively, Parliament called for this further review, but I have to say that I think that many of us would have expected the review to come sooner.

Given that there is so little time left in this parliamentary session, will the cabinet secretary say when, before the dissolution of Parliament, she expects the short, sharp review, as she describes it, to report? How will she ensure that we can have a debate in the parliamentary chamber ahead of dissolution on the issues contained therein?

Good morning. I will start with some of the themes that have previously been raised—in particular, the international comparison. When Professor Powell last appeared before the committee, he stated that there was a desire to have 1 per cent of the international student market, which is around 700 students. I am keen to understand how many international students were recruited this year.

You recognise that 1 per cent figure that you had shared. Is that still the aspiration?

That was very helpful.

Are you able to say from which countries, predominantly, you have recruited the 80 students?

Would anyone else on the panel like to make a contribution to this point? We heard about the island of Ireland, both north and south, and the investment that is being made there in rural education. The Government of Ireland has just announced €4.5 million for a distributed campus support fund to balance the regional issues that we have heard about this morning.

Should Scotland learn from that with regard to how we support the communities where there has been disinvestment from SRUC in campuses? I appreciate that it might be too little, too late, but it would be useful to get your sense about whether the Government should look across the water to what is happening in Ireland.

That would be helpful. On the point that you made about internal recruitment from within the other nations of the United Kingdom, do you recognise the challenge in relation to Northern Ireland’s rural colleges? The Greenmount campus in County Antrim is receiving £32 million for redevelopment, and Loughry campus in County Tyrone has a £43 million investment. Do you recognise that that investment—from the Northern Ireland Executive and those colleges in partnership—will be a challenge when you are trying to attract students who would normally come from our closest neighbours?

Are you concerned? At the outset of this morning’s evidence session, the convener mentioned those discussions with young farmers and NFU Scotland about the opportunities that exist for them elsewhere. With such a significant investment in Northern Ireland, which can be accessed fairly easily from Scotland, do you recognise that it will be a challenge to keep pace with the development there, particularly because those colleges are focusing on food science, innovation, research and student accommodation? This morning, we have been hearing about challenges in relation to the disinvestment in campuses in Scotland.