Ben Macpherson
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“It would be helpful to understand from the member’s supplementary question what he means by degrees that “offer limited value”, so that we can understand the point that he is trying to make. Thomas Kerr: I will get a list over to the minister. I am always happy to educate the education front bench about pointless degrees.”
“I am sure that, collectively, we all want to congratulate the 2024-25 school leavers, 93.5 per cent of whom were in a positive destination nine months after leaving school. We will also, I am sure, want to recognise together the dedication of the practitioners who supported them to achieve that.”
“Can he guarantee that every pound that has been allocated to apprenticeships is being spent on apprenticeship training, rather than elsewhere in the education budget?”
“This year, building on previous work and initiatives, the Scottish Government has introduced a new Government-led skills planning model—which has been developed in close partnership with stakeholders, including those in industry—to ensure that our post-school education and skills system becomes even more responsive to Scotland’s strategic…”
“We want to support all our young people to choose a pathway that suits their strengths and enables them to fulfil their potential to the greatest extent, developing their skills and critical thinking. Our all-age careers support, delivered by Skills Development Scotland and other partners, promotes every pathway to our young people.”
“Ben Macpherson: Daniel Johnson knows that I like to be constructive in my dialogue in the chamber, but I must gently point out that one of the key problems that those in industry have emphasised to me is the impact of the national insurance increase, as well as other pressures and costs that have affected the number of apprenticeship star…”
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“During scrutiny at stage 2 and stage 3, Michael Marra and I proposed what I believe were sensible, targeted amendments to protect projects that are already under way. They reflected a simple established principle that developments should be judged by the rules in place when they begin, not hit with new costs after significant investment has already been committed. Those amendments were rejected. In doing so, the Scottish Government ignored industry warnings and chose not to mitigate the very risks that it has been repeatedly warned about. We have seen that before, particularly when it comes to housing—the same mistakes and the same refusal to listen, but the same consequences. Talking about a lack of progress, I previously raised concerns about conflicting letters that were sent to home owners who are affected by cladding.”
“Willie Rennie is right: we must tread carefully, build confidence in the sector and secure that investment. The Scottish Government should use the £100 million that should have been used in the first place to kick-start the cladding remediation. It should have done that years ago but failed to do so. Homes for Scotland and the Scottish Property Federation have repeatedly warned that the levy will not simply be absorbed and that it will hit viability, stall projects and reduce the number of homes that could be built—all while we are in the middle of a housing emergency. Why would the Government risk fewer homes being built—fewer affordable homes at that—and fewer jobs across the construction sector?”
“Does the member, on behalf of her party, accept any responsibility for the then Conservative UK Government—her Government—being so unresponsive and inconsiderate about recognising the fact that Scotland has a different property law system, which caused significant delay in remediation here in Scotland? Meghan Gallacher: I genuinely believe that Ben Macpherson’s constituents will be wondering why his SNP Government has refused to spend a penny of the £100 million that was meant to be used for cladding remediation. Ben Macpherson should reflect on that. Willie Rennie spoke about the intense pressure that the housing sector is experiencing. The minister spoke about what should be cut to fund the remediation of cladding if the levy is not introduced.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Meghan Gallacher: The issues that Michael Marra raised demonstrate why we are so far behind the rest of the United Kingdom. It is utterly shameful that that £100 million of funding is being used to fill other budget gaps. He is right: this has nothing to do with a proposed new levy; rather, it shows the Scottish Government’s own incompetence. Màiri McAllan: Will the member take an intervention? Meghan Gallacher: I think that two members have tried to intervene. I think that Ben Macpherson was first, so I will let him in first. Ben Macpherson: Many of my constituents have been affected by the challenges of cladding remediation.”
“The Scottish Government funds a wide range of provision, including Developing the Young Workforce, the employer network and third sector partners offering mentoring and work experience. We also continue to engage industry and employers as we reform the skills system.”
“Following Scottish apprenticeship week, how is the Scottish National Party Government continuing to ensure that an array of positive destinations is available to our young folk, supporting Scotland’s existing and growing industries? Ben Macpherson: It is important to acknowledge that the latest school leaver statistics show that 95.7 per cent of young people entered a positive destination in 2025, which is the second- highest level on record. We are committed to ensuring that every young person can access the route that best suits their ambitions, including apprenticeships, training or further study, and that they can access whatever is their preference and whatever will help them to achieve their full potential.”
“We are providing around £198 million in 2026-27 to support 25,500 new modern apprenticeships, 5,000 new foundation apprenticeships and more than 1,200 new graduate apprenticeships and will continue providing support for more than 39,000 apprentices who are already in training. Our priority is to maximise high-quality apprenticeships to meet business needs and to develop our future workforce. Funding will be closely aligned with skills priorities to support economic growth and help to tackle youth unemployment. We will continue working closely with the Scottish Funding Council and with Skills Development Scotland to assess demand and to ensure that funding is targeted appropriately. Jackie Dunbar: It is vital that Scotland’s young people have support and opportunities to access the pathways that best fit their interests and skill sets.”
“The Scottish Government is developing a new skills planning model and is working with key partners to identify sectors of focus and skills priorities and to set out expectations for the post- school system with regard to meeting Scotland’s future skills needs. I draw members’ attention to the letter that I sent to the Education, Children and Young People Committee on 27 February that sets out, in general terms, how that work will progress. More will be said on that in the near future. Engineering is one of the key areas emerging as a focus in the initial work on skills planning. My officials are engaging with stakeholders on that to ensure that we work together to deliver the skills that those sectors and the wider economy will need.”
“Does the minister agree that, in order to address that challenge, we must see in the next parliamentary session an expansion in the scale of engineering skills provision, stronger industry collaboration and the expansion of models such as the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland to secure our future skills needs in such vital sectors? Ben Macpherson: The member raises important points. I should note to the Parliament that I met the sector this year to discuss many of these issues. I am aware of the contribution that the sectors make, not just through my role as a Scottish Government minister but in my capacity as a constituency member.”
“Audrey Nicoll: The strategic importance of the aerospace, defence and space industries to Scotland cannot be overstated, as they add £3.7 billion to the economy and currently employ just under 37,000 people. I welcome the fact that many Scottish colleges and universities are developing active partnerships with the sectors, a great example of which is the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, which is hosted by the University of Strathclyde. I also note today’s announcement of the Scottish defence growth deal and the skills aspect within that. However, a significant roadblock that is impeding future growth and prospects is the chronic skills shortage, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
“The Scottish Government is delivering a programme to reform the post-school education and skills system, in which the 2026-27 Scottish budget will invest more than £2.4 billion. There are more than 14,000 full- time-equivalent college students on engineering courses, and we are working with regional partners and industry to support that. Engineering and energy-related apprenticeships are already a priority for Skills Development Scotland, and they comprise 8 per cent of new apprenticeship starts and 15 per cent of all modern apprenticeships in training in the year 2024-25. Those skills support many sectors, including the defence, aerospace and space sectors.”
“That work includes looking at innovative ways to fund major new investments, and the role of public and private finance in that.”
“It is important that we consider the asks of the sector in a collegiate way, and in that respect, I have noted the request on page 12 of Colleges Scotland’s manifesto. I attended the event that Douglas Ross referred to, and I reiterate what I said at it: there is an open-mindedness, but we want to consider the matters with the sector. That is why the work that was announced in the GIQ today is important. We want to do these things collegiately with the sector, the Scottish Funding Council and the Government. I also draw the Parliament’s attention to the fact that, alongside the work that was formally announced today, the Scottish Funding Council is working with the sector on the next phase of infrastructure investments.”
“We have entrepreneurial colleges, such as the City of Glasgow College, which I visited recently and which has advanced plans for and investment partners interested in an ambitious innovation centre at its Riverside campus. However, it needs those additional powers if it is to take those plans forward. At a recent Colleges Scotland hustings, the minister and all political parties agreed that that is something that should be considered. When, and how, will it be delivered? Ben Macpherson: I appreciate those points and, as the Parliament would expect, I have had constructive engagement on them since taking up the post of Minister for Higher and Further Education, as did my predecessor.”
“Douglas Ross: The college sector in Scotland urgently needs those greater flexibilities to upgrade the estate and secure long-term financial sustainability. Since the Office for National Statistics classification following the regionalisation process, Scotland’s colleges have been unable to borrow or retain surpluses, unlike their counterparts elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Colleges in England and Northern Ireland are afforded the ability by the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to borrow and to hold reserves, and Welsh colleges, too, can retain surpluses and borrow. Scotland’s colleges can do none of that.”
“The Scottish Government works closely with the sector and the Scottish Funding Council to create the conditions for the sector to deliver high-quality learning and training for people across Scotland. That includes exploring opportunities to support longer-term investment, whether that is through responsible borrowing or through generating surpluses. Crucially, we are considering it with the sector, and I ask the Parliament to note the Government- initiated question S6W-44232 on this issue, which was answered today. In exploring the opportunities, we must be mindful of the borrowing constraints on Scotland set by the current constitutional arrangement and the fiscal framework, and the important rules within them on public-sector budgeting and accounting.”
“I thank them for all that they have done to build the legacy of the University of Edinburgh medical school, for all that has gone into preparing and undertaking the celebrations this year and for everything that will be done in the future to ensure that the school keeps making a profound impact in Scotland and internationally. The Deputy Presiding Officer: For the sake of transparency, I acknowledge my own status as an alumnus of Edinburgh university. With that said, I suspend the meeting until 2 o’clock. 13:24 Meeting suspended. 14:00 On resuming— Portfolio Question Time Education and Skills”
“We continue to recognise and value the world-leading teaching, research, innovation and knowledge exchange that are delivered through our universities and the high esteem in which they are rightly held internationally because of their legacy and because of what they do now. On behalf of the Scottish Government, I offer congratulations to everyone involved—to the staff, students, alumni and partners who have shaped three centuries of medicine in Edinburgh, to those whose names are celebrated and to the many more whose quiet work in clinics, labs, classrooms and hospitals saves and improves lives every day.”
“There has been a 67 per cent increase in medical undergraduate intake places since 2016, and there is a commitment to widening access to study for a career in medicine. In 2018, the first cohort of students began the HCP-Med programme at the University of Edinburgh. That is an innovative graduate entry course that provides the opportunity to existing healthcare professionals from Scotland to achieve a medical degree. That is the sort of upskilling that we will need to do more of as we move forward into this challenging century. We have a world-leading higher education sector to be proud of, and the Scottish Government values greatly the contribution that medical schools make to our society. They deliver first-rate doctors to support the NHS and so much more, including the economic impact that other members have talked about.”
“That work sits within the college’s wider one health vision, which recognises that human, animal and planetary wellbeing are deeply connected and reflects the determination not just to honour 300 years of history but to shape the next century of medical discovery and education in Scotland and beyond. Sarah Boyack understandably raised the issue of financial pressures in the higher education sector. The Government is aware of those pressures and is being proactive in trying to work with our universities in relation to that challenge. That is why we have set up the framework for sustainability and success with our university sector. In that context, it is important to recognise that the Scottish Government has been proud to support the momentum of our medical colleges and resource them.”
“Edinburgh’s six-year bachelor of medicine and surgery programme—the only programme of its kind in Scotland—integrates a full research year and graduates doctors with the degrees of bachelor of medical sciences and bachelor of medicine and surgery. It embeds clinical experience from the early years across Lothian and the south of Scotland. Together, as we celebrate this remarkable anniversary, it is also a chance to reflect on the opportunities ahead. Edinburgh medical school is setting out an ambitious future. Through its emerging future medicine programme and plans for a new Scottish health and biomedical institute, the school aims to bring together world-leading research, clinical expertise and innovation to tackle chronic disease. It also aims to strengthen cancer research and attract global talent and investment.”
“In 1869, they became the first women to matriculate at a British university, facing hostility, a notorious riot and, wrongly, exclusion from qualification for degrees. Their struggle catalysed change and opened the path for women to equality and to the practice of medicine in Scotland, which had a catalytic effect elsewhere. The school’s wider scholarly reach has shaped science far beyond the wards, from Charles Darwin’s formative student years to the generations of clinicians and scientists who went on to lead in public health, surgery, pharmacology and beyond. When I previously served as the Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, I saw how the school is helping to make an impact way beyond Scotland’s borders and our shores. Today, that tradition is alive in a modern, globally orientated medical school.”
“Sir James Young Simpson pioneered the clinical use of chloroform, transforming obstetrics and surgery and, in time, everyday medical practice, changing the administration of pain management forever. Joseph Lister, the regius professor of clinical surgery, applied germ theory to the operating theatre and ushered in antisepsis, carbolic hand washing, sterilisation of instruments and cleaner air during surgery, dramatically cutting the number of post-operative deaths and laying the foundations for the safe surgery that we have today. As has been rightly emphasised by others, Edinburgh’s story is also one of courage and inclusion, sometimes hard won. Sophia Jex-Blake and the Edinburgh seven have been spoken about already, and their influence was profound.”
“I declare an interest not just as a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, but because it was the pull of the medical school’s expertise that brought my mother to Edinburgh from England to study medicine and then contribute to our national health service as a doctor for more than 30 years. It is that excellence that we celebrate today, as well as the history. From the outset, Edinburgh set a standard for vigorous, anatomically grounded education, embodied in the Monro dynasty of anatomy professors, whose 126-year stewardship helped to define the modern medical curriculum and placed our capital city at the forefront of clinical teaching. Members have talked about the many people who have gone through the medical school, and the roll call of figures associated with it is extraordinary.”
“I, too, pay tribute to Martin Whitfield for bringing this excellent motion to the chamber, and I commend all colleagues for their excellent and thoughtful speeches. As the Minister for Higher and Further Education, and as an Edinburgh constituency MSP, it is a real privilege and a pleasure for me to close this debate marking three centuries of formal medical teaching at the University of Edinburgh— an anniversary that invites us to celebrate and reflect. In 1726, amidst the intellectual ferment of the Scottish enlightenment, Edinburgh established a faculty of medicine whose influence has radiated across Scotland and around the world through the years since.”
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all our students, including those with a disability, with a long-term medical condition or with additional support needs, are able to access further and higher education and are fully supported throughout their studies. I am confident that the uplift in funding that the draft budget will deliver will enhance colleges’ ability to make strategic decisions that strengthen student support and further embed inclusivity at the heart of their provision. The tripartite group of Colleges Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council is also driving forward a fundamental review of the current credit-based college funding model to improve flexibility and responsiveness, which will help in that regard.”
“I hope that members across the chamber will share our commitment to Scotland’s colleges and support the draft budget. Jamie Hepburn: Audit Scotland has reported that New College Lanarkshire’s modelling demonstrated that supported learning requires the most staff per academic credit achieved. How can the uplift that the minister speaks of sustain supported learning at New College Lanarkshire and across the further education sector, and support the social good that it can deliver? Ben Macpherson: I had an excellent visit to New College Lanarkshire’s Motherwell campus in recent months, and I was struck by what a remarkable institution it is, by the good that it is doing in the community and by the skills that it is providing to the public and private sectors.”
“The draft budget increases core capital and resource funding for Scotland’s colleges by £70 million—a 10 per cent uplift on last year. That provides a strong platform for the sector to support learners, deliver the skills that our economy needs and ensure that our colleges are equipped for the challenges and opportunities of the next quarter of the 21st century. I meet college stakeholders regularly. This morning, the First Minister chaired a constructive meeting with Colleges Scotland, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government and I attended, too. Colleges Scotland welcomed the draft budget and recognised the significance of the additional funding for the sector.”
“The first is establishing a robust evidence base and sourcing and collating strategic and contextual data. The second phase draws on the baseline to support consultation with industry to verify demand. In the final phase, the evidence baseline and consultation insight are analysed and a final assessment is produced to inform the modern apprenticeship contracting strategy. That is all undertaken by Skills Development Scotland. The member makes important points about making sure that there are opportunities in the area, that the demand is fulfilled and that we build the skills base that is required, not just in the here and now but for the times ahead. If the member would like to follow up on the issue after this question session, we can help her to connect with Skills Development Scotland and, potentially, the Scottish”
“Ariane Burgess: At present, apprenticeships in critically important sectors are off limits for rural and island-based young people who are care experienced, and who could find it destabilising to leave their forever homes. For example, there are no roof-slating apprenticeships north of Arbroath, which in effect prevents many young people in the Highlands and Islands from pursuing that key line of work. Given the Scottish Government’s on-going commitment to the Promise, what steps will it take to rectify the lack of opportunity for care- experienced young people in my region and across rural and island Scotland? Ben Macpherson: I thank Ariane Burgess for highlighting those important points about her region, the young people in it and those who are retraining. The modern apprenticeship demand assessment comprises three phases.”
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that care- experienced young people can access a variety of apprenticeships, including in rural and island areas. Skills Development Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, provides enhanced contribution rates for care-experienced modern apprentices up to the age of 29. Those enhanced contribution rates ensure that training providers can offer the additional support that is needed to help individuals to sustain and complete their apprenticeship. Skills Development Scotland also provides a rural uplift and an enhanced payment for training providers in rural and island areas to incentivise delivery in those locations.”
“Rather than talk about storage facilities, or parking—that is what the council says the groups need to find—we should see that land being used for the people who live in the Inch. That should be the wider approach. Land that is owned by the public should be used by the public for the benefit of the public. That is what community empowerment and community wealth building are about, and we need to see much more of it. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 12:58”
“It is not all about becoming good at sport, because many people will not—I can attest to that—but you learn how to work with other people and you gain incredible health benefits. I want the project to move forward, ending a situation in which people in the Inch look through the railings and wonder what they could do with the land if they were allowed to make better use of it and develop it. That land belongs to them. We were debating the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill the other day and discussing what happens when communities are enabled and when there is a presumption that we will say yes to them. It does not feel as if that is happening here. We must bring the council to the table to get the plan moving.”
“Despite that effort and those detailed plans, and despite all the engagement, there has been a lack of progress. I will widen out the subject. I recognise that not every member who signed my motion or will speak today wants to speak about Inch park, but community sport matters more widely. I note that Brian Whittle is going to speak, and I suspect that he is about to make a point about the hugely important wider health impacts of participation in sport. We know that sport is important for mental health. I am not necessarily good at playing team sport, but I know what I learned from doing that. If you play football or rugby at school, you learn about teamwork, discipline and communication.”
“His wider point is absolutely right: we need collaboration and co- operation and, critically, we need local authorities to come to the table and to work proactively with local organisations, because they have the wherewithal and structures to do that. Volunteers bring an awful lot of willingness and enthusiasm, but that must be facilitated. Ultimately, we are talking about public assets and public land that belong to the people who are seeking to develop and use them. The issue has a long timeline. Plans looking at how the Inch park nursery site could be developed were commissioned in 2020. A masterplan designed in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Council was submitted as part of an application for levelling up funding in 2022.”
“I welcome this debate, particularly as I was formerly an under-12s player for Inch boys club. I also recognise the contributions that the Spartans Community Foundation has made in the north of the city. Is that not an example of what can be created when the council and other organisations work together? If there is anything that we in the northern and eastern sides of the city can do to support the contribution that Mr Johnson is trying to make on behalf of south Edinburgh, please can we do it? Daniel Johnson: I am grateful to Ben Macpherson for intervening, although I think that he has shown that he is probably more qualified than I am to speak on the topic.”
“Furthermore, I thank everyone at Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, Student Awards Agency Scotland and the unions that represent their staff. I know that, for staff at Skills Development Scotland and its board, this is an unsettling time, but I want them to know how much their work is valued and that their contributions will continue to be impactful and appreciated as the bill is implemented and once its implementation is complete. All the staff who are moving from Skills Development Scotland to the Scottish Funding Council will continue to make a significant difference for learners and employers.”
“I am pleased to open this stage 3 debate, and I want to start by thanking my predecessor, Graeme Dey, for the remarkable amount of work that he did and for putting in the necessary effort to develop the bill and take it through most of stage 1. I also thank the committee and all stakeholders who have given their views, time and expertise to shape and refine the bill. I hope that many of them now see that they have positively influenced the bill’s provisions and that it is now a better bill because of them. I also thank MSP colleagues from across the chamber for their thoughtful and robust contributions, not only today but throughout the process of the bill, and I am grateful for their willingness to engage over recent months. All of those discussions, and the amendments that we have agreed together, have strengthened the bill.”
“By ensuring that the strategy is rooted in evidence and shaped through collaboration and engagement, with clearly specified outcomes, amendment 10 strengthens the Government’s approach—and, therefore, the nation’s approach—to skills planning and to the funding of the tertiary education and skills system. An important outcome, which we want to track and report on, is improved access to education and training opportunities for people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups. I know that that is of particular interest to my colleague”
“Crucially, the preparation and revision of the strategy will be informed by meaningful consultation with a wide range of relevant stakeholders, including employers, trade unions and the bodies delivering education and skills training. The amendment does not set out an exhaustive list—for example, it is important, and it is my intention, that organisations and groups representing students and apprentices, and those with disabilities, will be included among those consulted, so that their important and specific needs are provided for in any funding strategy.”
“For clarity, for universities, it will not direct funding towards provision specifically, as universities are autonomous bodies. I believe that amendment 10 will, overall, create a coherent strategic direction for Scotland that is better aligned with the skills needs that we have. The Scottish ministers will be required to publish and update the strategy and, of course, lay it before Parliament. Publishing ministerial priorities and intended outcomes aids transparency and ensures that Parliament, stakeholders and the public can—rightly—scrutinise the Government’s policy direction on skills and the progress that it achieves. The requirement to report regularly will reinforce that.”
“The strategy will establish a foundation for our tertiary education and skills system to ensure that funding decisions are based on an even more robust understanding of the skills needs in Scotland, not only at the national level but across Scotland’s diverse local and regional contexts, which I know a number of members are—quite rightly—interested in, as is the Government. Under amendment 10, the national funding strategy will have to explain Scotland’s skills needs and set out the Scottish ministers’ priorities for funding for further and higher education, national training programmes, apprenticeships and work-based learning. Additionally, the strategy will set out the outcomes that the Scottish ministers intend to achieve through that investment.”
“I am grateful to the Presiding Officer, all the Parliament staff and all MSP colleagues for their engagement with this bill and I am pleased to open this afternoon’s debate on the stage 3 amendments with an amendment that I hope a lot of members in this chamber will welcome and be interested in. The amendment gives effect to the commitment that I gave at stage 2 to consider further what, if anything, the Government could introduce in response to Pam Duncan-Glancy’s amendments 38 and 39 at stage 2. My amendment 10 will require the Scottish ministers to create and maintain a national funding strategy for tertiary education, skills and apprenticeships in Scotland.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My device lost connection. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Macpherson. We will ensure that that is recorded.”
“Skills Development Scotland works closely with industry to assess demand and can support the development of new frameworks, where appropriate. I encourage Mr McMillan to engage further with Skills Development Scotland and others in the sector. SDS can offer guidance on what options are available.”
“Consequently, will the Scottish Government commit to engaging with qualifications Scotland and SDS to consider the development of modern apprenticeships for young people seeking a career in pet grooming, as it would appear that only three colleges in Scotland currently offer such a qualification? Ben Macpherson: With regard to that and other areas, we welcome the opportunity to look at expanding the range of available apprenticeships, where appropriate. Apprenticeships in Scotland support key sectors and are demand led. The development of any new modern apprenticeship framework would require clear evidence of employer demand, alongside a strong case that an apprenticeship is the most appropriate training route.”
“The Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland officials are members of the apprenticeship approvals group, which is an employer-led group of industry experts and key stakeholders. The AAG meets monthly to approve new and revised Scottish apprenticeships and to understand demand for new apprenticeships. That includes ensuring that any framework that is submitted for approval has undergone extensive industry consultation and is supported by clear evidence of sector demand. Stuart McMillan: The minister will be aware that I have been highlighting the lack of regulation covering the pet service sector, particularly pet grooming. After engaging with several agencies on the practicalities of that, the general consensus is that the standards of those offering pet services could negate the need for regulation.”
“Ben Macpherson: Our support staff play an important role across our education sector, including in our colleges. I had a school support staff role myself earlier in my working life, which is why, since coming into my current role, I have been pleased to work with the college sector and trade unions to agree the support staff pay deal that I mentioned in my first answer. It is important to recognise that that has been accepted by the trade unions as a whole. However, I note the position of the GMB, which has written to me directly. I have committed to meeting that union and look forward to that discussion. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We have time for a couple of supplementary questions as long as they are brief.”
“Moreover, we have recently provided an additional sum of almost £5 million for support staff pay, which will support years 1 and 2 of a three-year pay deal delivering rises of 4.25 per cent in 2025-26, 3.4 per cent in 2026-27 and 3 per cent in 2027-28. Katy Clark: College Employers Scotland is set to impose a pay agreement on workers across colleges, despite failing to secure support from staff and trade unions in the sector. In a vote among GMB union members, 85 per cent chose to reject the proposed pay offer, which the union warns is a real-terms pay cut in disguise. With that sitting alongside a 7 per cent cut in staffing across the sector, is it not clear that Scotland’s college workers deserve both fair pay and security of employment from the Scottish Government?”
“It is important to emphasise that the Scottish Government is not responsible for setting pay in the college sector, where pay, terms and conditions are negotiated by college employers and trade unions via voluntary national bargaining arrangements. Despite the pressures on the public finances, the Scottish Government has demonstrated its commitment to staff in Scotland’s colleges by supporting pay deals for both lecturing and support staff. We have provided an additional £4.5 million for lecturers’ pay to support a four-year pay deal delivering a £5,000 consolidated pay rise in the first three years, as well as a further 4.14 per cent rise in 2025-26.”