Hansard

The Convener: Ind

The committee will receive a briefing from the Auditor General on his report entitled "Scottish Further Education Funding Council: A progress report".

Mr Robert Black (Auditor General for Scotland):

This is the fifth report that I have produced on the further education sector. It follows the reports that I made in 2003 on financial performance and perfor...

The Convener: Ind

Members have waited with some anticipation for this report, as the committee has traditionally taken a great deal of interest in further education, so the in...

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): SNP

I note what the Auditor General said about work in progress. Regarding improved performance information, what is required in order to deliver that improvemen...

Robert Black:

I would imagine that all three of those factors would be involved. I invite my colleagues to comment.

Bob Leishman (Audit Scotland):

It is a matter of ensuring consistency across the sector. Each of the colleges has been producing its own information. We must put in place systems that ensu...

Mr Welsh: SNP

I am trying to gauge the extent of the problem that remains to be solved. How much more work has to be done?

Bob Leishman:

As the report says, the question is one of refining the processes that are in place to ensure that they are fully accurate and consistent.

Mr Welsh: SNP

So the foundation stones are in place.

Bob Leishman:

Yes.

The Convener: Ind

As there are no further questions from members, I thank the Auditor General for that briefing. We will discuss the committee's response later.