Chamber and committees

You have already said that.

I will be very brief. I think that Ruth Maguire made a very important point about last night’s debate on modern languages. A number of contributors highlighted the importance of modern languages not only to the young people involved but to our global ambitions and our economy. In that context, 1,500 fewer pupils are studying languages at nat 5 and more than 1,000 fewer are taking them at higher level. Does the cabinet secretary recognise the importance of modern languages? If so, what is she doing about those figures?

I will be very brief, convener.

There is no doubt that we agree on the importance of colleges and the need for support, but the further education sector is still unclear about how much funding it might have for the coming year, and yesterday the finance secretary was unable to say when it might know that. Does the cabinet secretary have any idea when the sector will have that clarity, given that it will obviously need to make plans for the coming year?

Do you have a ballpark estimate as to when the SFC might decide?

Forgive me, cabinet secretary. There are various bodies and various people involved in developing what the operating model of a new qualifications agency might look like. Is the SQA also involved in developing that new model?

Many people would characterise a cut of £28.5 million, or 6 per cent, as being swingeing, so we clearly differ on that.

Does the cabinet secretary get involved in considerations of the economic and future workforce impact—both during their education and later—of anything from 1,200 to 3,800 students leaving Scotland to study elsewhere?

Quel dommage. [Laughter.]

On a similar note, the consultation on the education bill that will abolish and replace the SQA closed in December. The Scottish Government previously announced that an SQA replacement would be in place by 2025. Is the work on curriculum and assessment reform that we have discussed today dependent on reform of the SQA? If so, what are the timescales?

So, you are saying that only 1,200 places are being cut. You can come back to me on that if I am not correct.

However, universities are saying that they need more, not less, funding if they are to reach the 2030 target for widening access. The Scottish Government’s own analysis has identified a significant risk that, under the current model, there will be disadvantages for learners from socioeconomically deprived areas. What impact does the cabinet secretary predict that these swingeing cuts will have on the widening access agenda?

So, what are you doing about it?