Chamber and committees

I have one question for the cabinet secretary on the learning estate investment programme but, before that, I will finish off on college capital funding. The college capital allocation for the current financial year—not what is in the draft budget—reflects the 20 per cent cut that came down from the previous UK Government. That cut is now largely being reversed. In other areas in the draft budget for 2025-26, there is significant relief, restoration of funding and so on.

Not unreasonably, colleges expected to get part of that and to get their fair share of that relief for the capital budget, but that is not what has been allocated. Setting aside the money for the Dunfermline campus, the college capital budget is essentially flat—there is a very small real-terms increase. Why have colleges not benefited from that relief for the capital allocation when many other areas of the Government budget have?

That would be really helpful. This might be something for the letter, but can you confirm whether there is a timescale attached to that hub? I think that it is exactly what is required.

I accept that there is an element of tension—after all, universities, unlike colleges, are independent institutions—but can you confirm that it is the Scottish Government’s view that it is an unacceptable level of risk for an institution to be existentially dependent on tuition fees from students from any particular nation?

Yes.

I have made proposals to increase taxes, as members will be aware. I have made a number of such proposals to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, some of which have been taken forward. Actually, one of them was approved by the Finance and Public Administration Committee yesterday.

My final point is also on capital, but it is on the learning estate investment programme and is for the cabinet secretary. You will be aware of the situation in East Dunbartonshire, where we have five schools that are rated C for their condition, which is poor. One of those schools, Lenzie academy, has LEIP funding, which is great, but we have a real challenge with four primary schools in East Dunbartonshire and particularly Milngavie primary. Because of the urgency of the situation at Milngavie primary and the condition of the buildings, the council has allocated its entire capital budget to its refurbishment. That incurs a risk, because there is massive year-on-year uncertainty on the capital allocation to councils, just as there is on the Scottish Government’s annual allocations from the UK Government. That situation has a massive impact on the full rebuilds that are required at Balmuildy primary and Westerton primary and the refurbishment of Bearsden primary.

Is there any scope to bring more schools into the LEIP by increasing the overall allocation to the investment programme? Alternatively, could there be a direct funding allocation outwith the LEIP to school buildings, given the urgency of the deterioration in condition? Given the local context, is there a way to recognise that? I realise that that is a parochial point, but it is quite an urgent situation, and the council is now carrying a massive level of risk due to circumstances that are outwith its control.

We do not have a date at the moment.

The local authority is asking for additional capital allocation because of the unique circumstances. There were plans for the refurbishment programme to be managed over a number of years but, because of last year’s significant cut to the capital budget and the delays that that created, we have a really urgent situation with the condition at Milngavie primary, which is having a knock-on effect. The children of four schools in the area are now impacted. Milngavie primary kids will be decanted to other schools while the refurbishment takes place. I think that there is a lot of financial risk and uncertainty underpinning that. There is also a knock-on impact, in that there is a delay to the full rebuilds of Westerton primary and Balmuildy primary, and Bearsden primary will not be refurbished to the extent that was originally envisaged.

Is there any scope for allocation of funding for school buildings outwith the LEIP?

I will stick with colleges and go back to the capital budget—I apologise that I cannot remember who asked questions about it earlier. I understand the Government’s position that, if you take out the Dunfermline learning campus, there is a small real-terms increase. That is not an illegitimate way to present it, but do you acknowledge that the reality is that the maintenance backlog for the college estate far outstrips what can be delivered through the current capital allocation? I completely understand that you cannot allocate money that you do not have, but do you understand why there is so much frustration in the sector about how big the gap is between what is being allocated and the current backlog?

Thanks, convener. I am conscious of time, so I have just one question.

Auditor General, you mentioned in opening that there are lots of examples of public sector reform—we will hear some in a moment. However, ultimately, the issue is the lack of coherence and direction from the Government. Are you aware of any examples of effective reform in the Scottish public sector that either have happened or are on-going as a result of ministerial direction? I do not mean those that are off the back of an initiative by an individual organisation or public body; I mean those that are a direct result of Scottish ministers’ involvement in direction setting.

Thanks very much—I appreciate that.