Chamber and committees

In an earlier answer, you made it clear that you thought that each local authority should be able to provide a lot of data on exactly where its information is being drawn from and how well it is achieving its policy. Is it COSLA’s understanding that that data will come from 32 different local authorities and that it will be collected and then properly analysed, or are you saying that it is the job of COSLA and some other institutions to collect that data? That is the key point.

If extra money that you are not currently expecting became available to you, would universities benefit from it?

I understand that. I am asking you to tell us—because it is important, as you have acknowledged—if, as you rightly point out, those changes have all taken place, what figure are you using for the black hole in the public finances?

It is not a budget, cabinet secretary—you said that originally. It is not a budget that you are producing.

Let me put it another way. What statistics have you used to make the projections and policy choices that you have set out to the committee?

However, you have to make choices in relation to where you think the Scottish economy can improve. You have to think about the receipts that you will get from tax revenues and from other areas of expenditure, and about where cutbacks have to be made. You have spelled out some of the cutbacks. What information can you give to the universities sector that proves that it deserves what will probably be an 8 per cent real-terms cut over the period that is covered by the financial strategy?

Cabinet secretary, I would like to begin by seeking one piece of clarification, if I may. Last week, during your statement in the chamber, and at First Minister’s questions, we raised the Scottish Fiscal Commission data that is in figures 4.3 and 4.7, which made a projected estimate for 2026-27 of a £3.5 billion hole in public finances. You seem to be implying that that was not a correct estimate from the Scottish Fiscal Commission data. Why is it not correct?

Thank you; that is helpful.

Okay. I will make the same point from a slightly different angle. When you set out the national strategy for economic transformation, universities were said to be

“integral to the realisation of the national economic transformation strategy”,

because they play such a vital role when it comes to developing research and development, and innovation. Why are you cutting universities’ budgets in real terms, given that they have a considerable influence on economic growth and ensuring that we are developing research and development?

Really?