Stephen Kerr

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which highlights that two colleges required liquidity support from the Scottish Funding Council in 2023-24, what criteria were used to approve this support.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) regularly monitors and engages with the colleges and universities it funds as part of its role in ensuring the sustainable and coherent provision of fundable further and higher education.It is for SFC to consider the criteri…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that apprenticeship funding reaches colleges more directly, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which found that only 40% of Scottish Government funding reaches some colleges that deliver training.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: We recognise that managing agents undertake a range of valuable services to support apprentices and employers. This includes pre-assessment, support materials, pastoral care and the delivery of final assessments (where appropriate).The role, responsibilities …

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reinstate or replace the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, in light of Audit Scotland’s findings in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that its withdrawal has reduced employer-based training opportunities.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland’s colleges continue to be at the heart of local and regional level work to support economic development.We recognise the value of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to both employers an…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which noted that colleges supported fewer students from deprived backgrounds to access university in 2022-23, what action it will take to address the decline in the number of students from the mos…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the contribution colleges make to widening access, and the important role they provide in delivering higher education.We are working with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), colleges, and universities to improve articulation…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Audit Scotland’s recommendation in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that the Tripartite Alignment Group should set out income stream diversification plans for colleges within six months.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: It is important to expand the sources of income into the college sector, which is why the Colleges Tripartite Alignment Group, comprised of Colleges Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, has been exploring the perceived barriers …

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reverse the reported 12.4% decrease in college enrolments in 2023-24 compared with 2022-23, as highlighted by Audit Scotland in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: 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 col…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 Counci…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which found that funding for mental health support has been withdrawn, whether it will provide additional funding to maintain mental health counselling services in colleges, following the end of t…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Despite continuing fiscal challenges, the Scottish Government has increased the direct mental health programme budget for 2025-26 by 1.2% to £270.5 million. We expect total mental health spending to reach record levels – around £1.5 billion …

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the impact of college campus closures on students from deprived communities, as noted by Audit Scotland in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Colleges in Scotland operate as autonomous institutions, with governance frameworks that grant them independence in managing their operations including decisions about campus footprint, staffing, and curriculum.This autonomy is designed to enable responsivene…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide inflationary uplifts to college budgets, in light of Audit Scotland’s finding in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that no such uplifts have been applied to budgets in 2025-26 despite rising costs.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: 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 recognises the critical role that colleges play in delivering high-quality education, is awa…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the long-term sustainability of the college estate, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which notes that estimated costs for maintenance and meeting net zero emission targets may approach £1 billion.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) College Infrastructure Strategy (CIS) sets out the SFC’s approach to determining future investment in Scotland’s college estate and other college infrastructure. The SFC has been engaging closely with the…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 requiremen…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support college staff wellbeing, in light of Audit Scotland’s findings in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that workforce reductions and curriculum changes have increased workloads and stress.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Colleges are responsible for operational matters, such as managing workforce restructuring and curriculum changes. This includes ensuring they meet their obligations as an employer, including providing appropriate support to protect the health, safety and ove…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 neede…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: 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&…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to expand the provision of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in colleges, in light of Audit Scotland’s finding in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that demand for such courses is high.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the vital role English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) plays in supporting people whose first language is not English, equipping them with the communication skills necessary to contribute and integrate economically, c…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 experienc…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there is sufficient ASN staff provision in colleges, in light of findings in Audit Scotland’s report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that ASN staff reductions have limited the provision of courses and support for students with additional supp…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that Additional Support Needs (ASN) staff play in ensuring that all learners can access and succeed in college education.In light of financial pressures across the sector, we are working with colleges and the …

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which recommends that the funding model for colleges should better reflect equity and demand for courses, whether it will review the funding model.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Colleges Tripartite Alignment Group, comprised of Colleges Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has been exploring issues in the sector. Informed by the Group’s discussions, the SFC introduced changes to the colle…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 …

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress made to resolve the national job evaluation for support staff, in light of Audit Scotland’s recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which notes that some colleges have expressed concerns that the uncertainty over the possible cos…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The job evaluation project is an outcome of national bargaining; therefore, the Scottish Government has no role in determining its progress. College Employers Scotland and trade unions (UNISON, GMB and Unite) have joint ownership of the project and are respon…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 col…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the higher non-completion rates among college students from more deprived communities, care-experienced students and disabled students, as identified in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025. 

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all college students—regardless of their background or circumstances—have the opportunity to succeed in their studies. We recognise the concerns raised in Audit Scotland’s Scotland’…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which notes that the demand for modern apprentice places exceeds funded placements, how it plans to support colleges to meet local and national skills needs in sectors such as engineering, construction, dig…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government is investing more than three quarters of a billion pounds in our 24 colleges to support apprenticeships and a wide range of skills and qualifications. The most recent Scottish Funding Council (SFC) allocations provide increases of 2.6%…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the 20% real-terms funding reduction for colleges since 2021-22, as reported by Audit Scotland in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025. 

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Decisions made by the UK Government since the financial crash in 2008, and their overall austerity policy position since 2010, continue to have a profound and negative impact on the finances available to the Scottish Government, the economy, and to the colleg…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

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 · Ben Macpherson: 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 wit…

1 Oct 2025 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much it cost to install any instarinse products in the Scottish Parliament building.

Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): The InstaRinse machine is provided through our Catering service partner, Sodexo Limited, as a supplier innovation to support the reduction in consumption of single use disposable cups. There is no cost to the SPCB.

25 Sep 2025 · Written Question

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 · Kaukab Stewart: 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, gu…

25 Sep 2025 · Written Question

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 · Kaukab Stewart: 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 t…

25 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent further costs to the public purse as a result of tribunal cases in relation to non-compliance with the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The costs in any tribunal case are for the tribunal to determine.

25 Sep 2025 · Written Question

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 · Kaukab Stewart: 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 a…