Current status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 28 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement of the review into a sustainable future funding model for universities, what support or assurances it will provide to any university staff who have lost their jobs or are currently at risk of redundancy.
The university sector continues to face financial challenges due to a number of factors, including the impact of migration policies introduced by the UK Government, and an increase to employer national insurance contributions.
While universities are autonomous institutions, the Scottish Government expects staff and trade unions to be consulted meaningfully and constructively on the potential impact of any cost-saving measures – in line with Fair Work principles.
Ministers cannot compel universities to commit to no compulsory redundancies, however my clear expectation is that they are only considered as a last resort, after all other cost-saving measures have been fully explored.
In the unfortunate event that redundancies occur, PACE is the Scottish Government’s response and can provide free and impartial advice, and is available to all individuals affected by redundancy, no matter the size of the business nor how many employees are involved.