Protecting Jobs, Pay and Conditions at Heriot-Watt University

That the Parliament notes with concern the reported potential job losses and changes to staff terms and conditions at Heriot-Watt University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic; understands that the University and Colleges Union branch is working to protect jobs, pay and conditions for all staff after being informed of the university's decision to reportedly seek £13 million in savings, with £11.6 million to be reduced from staff costs and an additional £9 million from job cuts; further understands that all staff pay has been frozen, which it considers is particularly damaging to female staff’s wages due to the gender and equal pay gap at Heriot-Watt University; is concerned at reports that between 70 and 90 jobs, around 5% of the workforce, face redundancy, and calls on the university to ensure that there are no compulsory redundancies and use any available income to close gender and equal pay gaps.