Draft Scottish Budget puts clear emphasis on Scotland’s ability to create and maintain a skilled workforce

Commenting on the Draft Scottish Budget announced today (Thursday, 9 December 2021), Ken Milroy, Chair of Colleges Scotland, said:

“The Draft Budget built around delivering an economic recovery for Scotland, investment in health, and which takes steps to tackle the climate emergency, clearly puts an emphasis on Scotland’s ability to create and maintain a skilled workforce.  Colleges will continue to be an integral part of economic recovery and delivering the skilled workforce the Scotland needs.

“The Revenue and Capital available to the sector is a flat cash position and unfortunately represents a real-terms cut because of inflationary pressures including on pay and rising energy costs in Scotland’s colleges. 

“For revenue for 2022/23, colleges will receive £675.7m, the same as in 2021/22.  The Capital expenditure announced today totals £74.7m – the Capital funding available to the sector remains the same at £33.7m, plus an additional £41m for the Dunfermline Learning Campus and for a share of Digital investment.

“Today the Cabinet Secretary confirmed that in May next year there will be another Budget in line with the Framework for multi-year funding published today.  Colleges Scotland has for some time has been advocating for colleges to receive multi-year funding to ensure sustainability of the sector and we will continue to advocate strongly for the college sector as preparatory work takes place ahead of the Budget in May.”