Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 March 2016
16 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
College Sector (National Pay Negotiations)
Education and Lifelong Learning
I have an email from West Highland College, which says that it is unable to sign up to the current national bargaining initiative because it threatens the college’s financial viability and business continuity. I welcome the fact that some colleges have signed up but, where the disparity is the greatest—in other words, among the University of the Highlands and Islands colleges—will the Government dig a bit deeper to help out the colleges? We do not want there to be any initiative that would threaten their future.
In the same item of business
3. Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the national pay negotiations in the college sector. (S4O-05658)
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Angela Constance)
SNP
Good progress has been made. The vast majority of colleges have signed up to national bargaining, and three out of four unions have accepted the pay offer fo...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and note her three points. However, I have serious concerns for students in further education—including those w...
Angela Constance
SNP
Claudia Beamish touches on a number of very important points. The National Union of Students in Scotland has written to me to share the concerns that she art...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I have an email from West Highland College, which says that it is unable to sign up to the current national bargaining initiative because it threatens the co...
Angela Constance
SNP
I expect all colleges to be signed up to the principle of national pay bargaining. I have met representatives of the employers’ side this week to discuss how...