- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made to ensure that a £10.4 million reduction in funding to the further education sector in the 2011-12 budget will not result in a reduction in further education places.
Answer
The college sector has agreed that core student places will be maintained in 2011-12.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive, using the weighted student units of measurement methodology, how much funding from the Scottish Funding Council is predicted for each college in each of the next four years.
Answer
The funding of individual colleges is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the council’s Chief Executive to write to the member.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what the predicted level of financial support provided to each university by the Scottish Funding Council will be in each of the next four years.
Answer
The budget allocation to higher education institutions is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council, not Scottish ministers. The Scottish Funding Council’s budget will be decided as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether withdrawing courses in geography, sociology, community education and music at the University of Strathclyde will result in a reduction in its funding from the Scottish Funding Council.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-467 on 10 June 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the weighted student units of measurement methodology is disadvantageous to some colleges if it is not providing a sufficient level of financial support required to meet their obligations.
Answer
The funding of individual colleges, and the methodology used in doing so, is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the council’s Chief Executive to write to the member.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 15 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive, using the weighted student units of measurement methodology, how much funding the Scottish Funding Council provided to each college in the last five years.
Answer
The funding of individual colleges is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the council’s Chief Executive to write to the member.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 10 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with the Scottish Funding Council the impact of the proposal by the University of Strathclyde to discontinue degree programmes in geography, sociology, community education and music on students from the west of Scotland.
Answer
Institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore it is up to the individual institutions to decide which courses to run from the block teaching grant provided by the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked both the Scottish Funding Council and the University of Strathclyde to keep me fully updated as matters progress over the coming months.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 10 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with West Lothian College regarding the reduction in staff taking place.
Answer
The Scottish Government maintains regular dialogue with Scotland’s colleges, which is the representative body of the sector. All colleges, including West Lothian College, are having to operate within a reduced budget as a result of the reduction by the UK Government of £1.3 billion in Scotland’s block grant. Colleges are responsible for taking their own decisions on staffing and employment matters.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 10 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with the higher education sector and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) if withdrawing subjects or departments will result in a reduction of funding provided to universities by the SFC.
Answer
It is up to the individual institutions to decide which courses to run from the block teaching grant provided by the Scottish Funding Council for most subjects. Any change in course provision within those subject areas does not result in all cases in a reduction in teaching funding.
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 10 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with the further education sector and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) if withdrawing subjects or departments will result in a reduction of funding provided to colleges from the SFC.
Answer
Colleges are funded mainly on the basis of an overall level of activity which is agreed between the college and the Scottish Funding Council. Colleges are then expected themselves to decide the nature of the courses which they offer. Colleges are free to alter their provision within the boundaries of the funding they receive, but that of itself would not lead to any reduction in funding.