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The colleges were already participating in such activity under the regional model. One area that I explored yesterday—I have done this in a number of forums—was the need to ensure that, if economic planning is taking place in an area in relation to things such as city deals or green freeports, or at a more localised level, the cost that might be incurred by the colleges is factored in, and additionality is provided to meet the additional asks of colleges in specific areas. That was one of the issues that we discussed yesterday.

Extensive work is under way not only to protect the concept of UHI but to future proof it. A little while after I came into post, I met UHI central—if you want to call it that—which outlined a vision of what reform might look like. I had some concerns about that—you might have done, too—because I wanted UHI to ensure that the voices of the local colleges that are involved in delivery were heard and so on.

To UHI’s credit, it has done exactly that. An extensive piece of redesign work is going on. I am heartened that it appears to be taking people with it on the journey, which is essential.

Again, the process has taken longer than I would have wanted, but I anticipate that UHI will come back to the Government as soon as it has been able to firm up the proposal. It will have a business case for us to consider, but I am keen that we do whatever we can, at pace, to support UHI in ensuring that the concept is absolutely protected in a way that is sustainable for the long term. That work is on-going across the colleges concerned.

I will write back to you on that. We are in UHI’s hands when it comes to delivery, which will be determined by the pace at which it can get agreement on all that. I will reflect on that and come back to you.

That has been quite unhelpful, and it means that I have not seen the specifics of the issue that you raise. However, I figured that you would ask that question.

I understand the argument that is made around the principle of remuneration for senior staff, particularly in the university sector—I think that that has been the biggest challenge from the point of view of the University and College Union. However, it is difficult to legislate to address that issue.

It is a fact that some of our larger institutions are competing salary-wise with multimillion-pound businesses for the very brightest and best. However, I absolutely recognise the concerns that trade unions and others have raised about remuneration packages and the increases that have been offered.

Earlier, I referred to a meeting that I had a couple of months ago with the university chairs of court. I would be wrong to go into too much detail, but I took the opportunity to point out to them how the increases were viewed out there. You are absolutely right about institutions wanting more public money at a time when they were offering large remuneration increases, particularly to principals but also to others. I read some of the media stories, and I have made it clear to them that they are expected to exercise restraint and self-awareness going forward. That is probably as much as I can do currently, but we need to see that play out.

On the specifics of your point—this might clarify things—some interesting things arise in relation to the Aberdeenshire model of foundation apprenticeships. You might think of there being a pathway from foundation apprenticeships directly into modern apprenticeships and a proportion of young people follow that path. Foundation apprenticeships can help employers to identify people who are the right fit for their business.

An interesting thing is that the Aberdeenshire model is driving up academic performance. Young people go into that work-experience setting and realise that a school subject that they do not particularly enjoy—usually maths—is going to be essential to enabling them to pursue the career that they have now decided that they want to pursue. Anecdotal evidence from headteachers suggests that that has led to an uptick in academic performance, and we are seeing a sizeable number of foundation apprentices going to university. So, although there is a degree of read-across, it is not necessarily the case that someone who does a foundation apprenticeship will go into a modern apprenticeship. The beauty of the Aberdeenshire system is that it is wide-ranging and offers many opportunities for young people across a range of career choices.

The other thing about the Aberdeenshire model is that the council part funds it—there is a large contribution from SDS, but that has been reducing over time. Funnily enough, I am quite drawn to that arrangement because this Parliament’s budget already funds local authorities to educate those young people, and there is some value in having some degree of co-funding if we are to maintain or expand the foundation apprenticeship model. However, as I said earlier, we have been closely examining the vocational offering that is also available in the later stages of school education, because we need to look at both of those aspects if we are going to get the system right.

I should also add that I had a really useful session with the school leaders forum. The innovative, forward-thinking leaders of our schools who sit on that forum have different views on what foundation apprenticeships, or whatever they are to be called, might look like going forward and how we could best introduce them. The situation around that is a work in progress. I am not going to sit here and say that we will do X, Y or Z, but I hope that it is a further illustration of the depth of thinking that has gone into getting the approach right.

Once that is done, we will be able to move at greater pace.

I go back to what I said to you: in the consultation, there was 80 per cent support for the move. We are hearing a bit of a conflation of certain current challenges, which I fully accept are significant, with the need to do this. People fundamentally recognised and were in favour of the need for this move, and they have taken the opportunity presented by the bill to highlight their current challenges and issues. Fundamentally, the need for this bill—and the change that it brings—remains.

I will bring in Andrew Mott to talk about the drafting of the legislation.

I have made a commitment with regard to the Government’s view of the importance of apprenticeships. If, in your stage 1 report, there were a view that you would want to see something in the bill that reinforced that, I would be happy to consider it, convener.

From my perspective—that is, from the position of a minister who is absolutely committed to apprenticeships and who sees this growing, not reversing—I do not see a problem there. If we look at the appetite for earn-as-you-learn models, the move being made in the university sector towards having more graduate apprenticeships and wanting to enhance them, and the needs of the economy, we see that there is a direction of travel. Because of the cost of living crisis, it is more challenging for young people to embark on some of those courses. Therefore, I envisage more of an emphasis on earn-as-you-learn models.

I do not see an issue at all here, but if the committee were to take the view that it would like some reassurance, we would be happy to consider that.