Chamber and committees

My question follows on from that. I am interested in how much flexibility individual colleges have in delivering for the skills in their areas. It is important that, through speaking to employers, colleges can identify what skills are required now and what skills will be needed in the future, so that they can develop courses that are appropriate to those regional needs. The situation in Lanarkshire, for instance, is different from the situation in the Highlands, so you would expect colleges in Lanarkshire to deliver different courses from those in the Highlands. How much flexibility do individual colleges have to do that?

Good morning. We run the risk of this meeting being all doom and gloom, but it is not, of course, all doom and gloom in the college sector. Mr Boyle mentioned WorldSkills UK, but he did not mention that New College Lanarkshire won the WorldSkills UK national finals when they were held in Manchester. That is a shining example of how a college in Scotland can beat the rest in the United Kingdom.

If we can start on that bright note—you are itching to get in, Mr Boyle, to explain why you failed to mention that.

New College Lanarkshire?

That is obviously good news in my region, but other colleges elsewhere are still on that list. Have their positions got worse or better since we last explored the issue?

Adjusted operating deficits—does that mean the deficits are worse or better?

Worse?

Eighteen are in a worse position than in the previous year?

That is correct. So, 18 are in a worse position. Would you say that the positions of the rest are either better or about the same?

Okay. You are talking in riddles a bit, Mr Maconachie. Please use plain English and assume that we do not necessarily understand the terms that you are using.

Clearly, the situation is still challenging. I suppose my question for the Scottish Funding Council and the Government is: what are you both doing to make things better?