Chamber and committees

Thank you very much. We are kind of at the end of the session but, in the couple of minutes that we have left, Graham Simpson wants to ask a very specific question.

Thanks for that—it is duly noted.

Ellie Gomersall, I will bring you in at that point because, as a representative of the users of those important educational services, I am sure that you have a really clear perspective on what it means for the students that you represent that this is going on.

In the evidence session with the Auditor General, the committee raised the fact that the new Government slogan is “equality, opportunity, community”, but how does that prism fit on to what is going on in the further education sector?

Stuart Brown wants to come in—briefly, because I want to talk about a passage in the report about significant areas of risk for colleges, which cover a broader palette of things. I will invite Andy Witty to come in on that.

Thank you. That has opened up a whole frontier that we are going to cover, including the Withers report.

I am conscious that John Mooney has not come in yet. Before I move on to questions from Colin Beattie, who will be asking about the college estate and so on, I will ask you this, John. Exhibit 2 describes risk factors. We have heard from Ellie Gomersall about the student experience, but let us consider the perspective of your members. The final risk that the Auditor General identifies is

“The impact of cost efficiencies on staff wellbeing”.

What are you seeing as a trade union? What is the impact of that? We are in a period in which inflation has been pretty high by historical standards—certainly by recent historical standards. There has been a flat cash settlement for three consecutive years. What has the impact of that been on your members?

Yes. Thank you very much. I invite Colin Beattie to take us through a conversation about where things are with the college estate, which is one of the focal points in the briefing that the Auditor General prepared.

John Mooney wants to come in, and then we will have to move on, as the clock is against us.

I think that John Mooney and Ellie Gomersall wanted to come in. Andy Witty has already come in on that point. We will go to John first and then Ellie.

You are not negotiating.