- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that capital maintenance funding allocations for the college sector are sufficient to cover essential repairs, in light of the finding in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that current funding is inadequate.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the critical role that colleges play in delivering high-quality education. The 2025-26 budget provided almost a 5% increase in capital maintenance funding to help colleges further invest in student’s learning experiences. In collaboration and with agreement from the college sector, SFC retained £2.5m of its 2025-26 capital budget for high priority needs (including health & safety issues).
The Scottish Funding Council’s College Infrastructure Strategy (CIS) describes the SFC’s approach to determining future investment in Scotland’s college estate and other college infrastructure. The CIS sets out the collective approach between the SFC and colleges to develop a 10-year Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) for Scotland’s colleges. The plan will identify future infrastructure investment needed for a sustainable sector and is due to be published in autumn 2026.
At this point in the budget cycle no decision has been made on the funding that will be made available for colleges in financial year 2026-27. The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures colleges are facing and remains committed to working constructively with the sector and the Scottish Funding Council. The College Tripartite Alignment Group has membership from a range of colleges, SFC and the Scottish Government and provides strategic direction on the pressures and opportunities facing colleges. You can read more about the Group’s activities here Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group - gov.scot.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which found that over 8,000 requests by learning providers for apprentice places in 2024-25 were not funded, what analysis it has undertaken of this unmet demand.
Answer
As our national skills body, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have operational responsibility for managing apprenticeship funding and delivery in Scotland. SDS regularly monitor demand throughout the year to maximise apprenticeship opportunities, in line with key policy priorities.
The number and range of apprenticeships available are informed by industry demand and training capacity, within the constraints of available budgets and affordability. This involves close consultation with employers, employer groups and training providers, as well as priorities identified through reformed national and regional skills planning.
We are providing around £185 million for apprenticeships this year and are committed to working with the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland to understand the extent of demand, and in which sectors. Our aim is to ensure that funding is targeted most effectively to support sustainable economic growth and vital public services and provide best value for public investment.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings on the college sector workforce in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, how many teaching and support staff left Scotland’s colleges through (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory severance in 2023-24.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on staffing levels and future workforce plans: operational decisions are for individual colleges to determine.
Colleges are responsible for making workforce-related decisions in line with legislative requirements, the Code of Good Governance for Scotland’s Colleges and the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memoranda. Such decisions may be necessary to respond to the changing needs of the local economy and industry skills demands, as well as ensuring the institution is financially sustainable.
The Scottish Government expects any workforce restructuring decisions to be informed by Fair Work principles, following meaningful engagement with staff and trade unions.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the reasons for the withdrawal of £26 million of transition funding in 2023, as noted in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025.
Answer
The reason behind the withdrawal of £26m transition funding in 2023 is on record.
The funding was originally announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget to support strategic change and transformation in the college sector. That it had been necessary to take this as a required saving given new portfolio pressures was communicated in this letter to the Education Children and Young People Committee on 2 May 2023 found here: Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, what action it is taking to ensure that the Scottish Funding Council has the capacity to meet any future increase in liquidity support requests from colleges.
Answer
The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding allocation to Scotland’s colleges for the current academic year (2025-26) equates to a 2.6% increase in funding for teaching activity, and a 4.8% increase for capital maintenance funding, to support colleges to continue to invest in student’s learning experiences.
The SFC provides regular advice to the Scottish Government on the pressures facing the college sector. This is based on the regular financial returns received from colleges.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that a credit-based funding model is output driven, how it will ensure that such a model does not incentivise colleges to prioritise cheaper-to-deliver courses over those most needed by employers and communities.
Answer
The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding model operates alongside with its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model - Scottish Funding Council (OF&AM) to ensure that college courses align with the needs of employers and communities.
Through its OF&AM, SFC engages with colleges to ensure they are engaging with employers to respond to industry and sector needs.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the decrease in the number of full-time equivalent college students to the lowest level in the last 10 years in 2023-24, as noted in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025.
Answer
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) regularly monitors college student numbers, including headcount, enrolment and full-time equivalent students. SFC publishes this information on an annual basis through its College Statistics 2023-24 - Scottish Funding Council.
Colleges receive funding from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) based on the number of credits they deliver. The SFC increased the credit price from 2023-24 which is an increase to the investment in each individual student.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 21 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how any delay in implementing laws on single-sex spaces and services is compatible with its equality objectives.
Answer
We have been working through an extremely complex legal landscape – and it, rightly, has taken time to do that work.
Every key area of government which is or may be affected by the Supreme Court judgment is carrying out assessments across legislation, guidance and policies as part of a Working Group convened by the Permanent Secretary.
The Scottish Government has already taken action that includes:
- Updating our guidance for the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018;
- Amending the public appointments recruitment process for public bodies subject to the Act, now collating and using biological sex at birth data to apply the Act;
- Moving to an interim Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion Policy for Scottish Government staff, removing a line regarding facilities use, while we develop new policy and guidance in consultation with trade unions; and
- Publishing revised Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools Guidance, while recognising that the EHRC are also reviewing Technical Guidance for schools.
We have been working through an extremely complex legal landscape – and it, rightly, has taken time to do that work.
Every key area of government which is or may be affected by the Supreme Court judgment is carrying out assessments across legislation, guidance and policies as part of a Working Group convened by the Permanent Secretary.
The Scottish Government has already taken action that includes:
- Updating our guidance for the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018;
- Amending the public appointments recruitment process for public bodies subject to the Act, now collating and using biological sex at birth data to apply the Act;
- Moving to an interim Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion Policy for Scottish Government staff, removing a line regarding facilities use, while we develop new policy and guidance in consultation with trade unions; and
- Publishing revised Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools Guidance, while recognising that the EHRC are also reviewing Technical Guidance for schools.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 21 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to reassure women that their rights under laws on single-sex spaces and services are protected.
Answer
The Scottish Government accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court which ruled that woman in the Equality Act 2010 is defined by biological sex.
The Scottish Government's Equally Safe Strategy is a national plan to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes, such as gender inequality. First published in 2014 and refreshed in 2023, the strategy promotes collaborative work across public and third sectors, with a goal of creating a Scotland where women and girls are safe and protected from all forms of violence. The refreshed strategy is supported by a delivery plan outlining specific actions and is backed by the Delivering Equally Safe Fund.
While the Scottish Government will always work to support trans people in Scotland - this is not at the expense of our vital support for women and girls.
We believe the vast majority of people in Scotland want to live in a country that is respectful, compassionate and caring – and we are committed to protecting the rights of all.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 21 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish updated guidance for all public authorities that is consistent with the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
Answer
In relation to Scottish Government guidance, SG has already taken action that includes:
- Updating our guidance for the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018;
- Amending the public appointments recruitment process for public bodies subject to the Act, now collating and using biological sex at birth data to apply the Act;
- Moving to an interim Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion Policy for Scottish Government staff, removing a line regarding facilities use, while we develop new policy and guidance in consultation with trade unions; and
- Publishing revised Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools Guidance, while recognising that the EHRC are also reviewing Technical Guidance for schools.
