Chamber and committees

Is the Scottish Government genuinely engaged?

That is two and a half years after the commitment was made.

What would you suggest that we say to our constituents who are losing their jobs as a result of redundancies?

What more can the Government do to support people who are going to lose their jobs?

I think that, over the past 10 years, the Government should have properly funded the sector so that it could afford to employ the staff that it needs. The Government needs to look at flexibilities, but it is not my job to answer that question, minister.

Ultimately, there are people, particularly in Glasgow—I will not focus only on Glasgow—but across the sector who are facing job losses at a time when we really need colleges the most. We need skilled people for our economy. We need colleges to be the engine rooms in our local communities of learning, skills and development and supporting people from poorer backgrounds specifically. However, at this moment, those institutions are laying people off.

It is, and I am doing that, thank you, convener.

The point that I am trying to make is that there are people who are going to lose their jobs in a sector that the Government has said is important. Have colleges come too late to negotiations? Did you use all the money up before it came to colleges?

The subordinate legislation to merge the colleges is fairly straightforward. However, I have spoken to people in rural areas, and particularly to members who represent rural areas, and it feels like this is another budget-pushed decision as opposed to a decision that serves rural communities best. It is worth putting that on the record, because people in some communities are already struggling to get to and from colleges. Pulling everything into one place might mean that a larger college does not serve diverse areas as well as it might.

—does it not?

The point about online abuse is really important. Either your submission or the EIS submission talks about the definition of violence including written violence. Does it also need to include online abuse?

When you say that the figure is less than 1 per cent, what are you referring to?