I am not sighted on the specifics of individual universities’ allocations, so I say with respect that I will not go there. However, I will tell you what the financial position is consistent with. It is consistent with the challenges that we have been set by your Government in Westminster—[Interruption.]—I am sorry, Deputy Presiding Officer; I mean the Conservative Government in Westminster—because of the economic incompetence of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng.

There has been an increase in the Government’s capital funding for colleges this financial year, but I recognise the challenges that colleges are facing not only around maintenance but in relation to upgrading and replacing buildings. In relation to West College Scotland, I am aware of issues with the Oakshaw building in Paisley, for which, I believe, the Scottish Funding Council has provided support of £500,000 towards a temporary rewiring solution. As Mr Bibby alluded to, I also know that the SFC has provided financial assistance to the college to update the outline business case for improving the situation at Greenock.

If an opportunity arises to meet the college in due course, I will be happy to accept that and to discuss whichever matters it might wish to discuss.

Our investment continues to make a real difference to the lives of young people across Scotland by helping them to continue in their studies. West College Scotland is one of our largest colleges, with more than 20,000 students. It provides valuable opportunities for those who are furthest from the workplace. It is doing really good work, and I am delighted that we have been able to continue the level of funding for student support in this coming financial year.

Our 2023-24 budget allocated nearly £2 billion to Scotland’s universities and colleges through the Scottish Funding Council, demonstrating our commitment to supporting our learners and institutions.

I welcome the recent publication by the SFC of the indicative core funding allocations for 2023-24, which maintain funding levels in teaching and research despite the challenging fiscal environment. That will enable colleges and universities to move forward with their planning for the year ahead.

We have kept our investment in excellent university research at current levels, while increasing our investment in university innovation.

As Mr Marra is well aware— [Interruption.]

What I am going to do is behave more constructively than Willie Rennie just did by engaging with the sector. I met Sally Mapstone last week and will be in listening mode as I go round the universities and colleges, genuinely prepared to listen to any ideas that they have to help to address the challenges that they face.

As Mr Marra is well aware, we are in an extremely challenging financial environment. We are working very closely to deliver the funding that the universities request, against a very difficult financial backdrop. He knows that.

We continue to spend nearly £2 billion a year on Scotland’s universities and colleges through the SFC alone, despite the financial pressures that the Government faces. We remain committed to the long-term success of universities and colleges, as we have demonstrated with the increase in research and innovation funding.

I recognise that Mr Marra and I will disagree on this, but the flat-cash settlement in indicative allocations that he refers to was, against the economic backdrop, as fair as was achievable. Of course, it sets challenges for our colleges and universities. That is why I will, over the coming weeks and months, be engaging with the representative bodies and the individual institutions—I met Sally Mapstone last week—and listening to any ideas that they have for flexibilities or innovative approaches that can help them to meet better the financial and practical challenges that confront them.

Since Brexit, European Union students have become ineligible for funding. As a result, there has been a reduction of 64 per cent in the number of students from Europe choosing to study at Scottish universities. That reduction has undoubtedly impacted on our universities.

The Scottish Government welcomes the contribution that European and other international students make to our higher education sector, as well as to our society, our culture and our economy. They add diversity. Any proposals from the United Kingdom Government to add more restrictive visa requirements for European and other international students would be deeply damaging to our world-class university sector.

Bearing in mind the Presiding Officer’s instruction, I will say only that it is self-evident that there is such a link and, if memory serves me correctly, it was the Scottish National Party that took the decision in question.

The Scottish Government very much welcomes the publication of the 2023-24 indicative core funding allocations by the Scottish Funding Council, which enables colleges and universities to move forward with their planning for the academic year.