Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 June 2018
12 Jun 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Student Support
I thank the minister for early sight of the statement. I welcome many aspects of it, particularly in the context of the lessons to be learned from Professor Sir Ian Diamond’s report on similar issues in student support in Wales and from the report from Jayne-Anne Gadhia.
Student support is never an easy area of policy making, especially in the increasingly complex world of further and higher education. We need to be mindful of making hasty comparisons across the board. That said, I want to ask the minister three key questions.
First, the minister stated that bursary support for the poorest students in higher education will rise from £1,875 to £2,000, but in 2013 the figure was £2,640, so the £2,000 will still be £640 below what it was five years ago. Does the minister really believe that that is acceptable?
Secondly, will the minister explain why, when the Scottish Government has the power to make them before then, the full range of changes will not be made until 2020-21?
Thirdly, in relation to part-time students—who have made earnest representations to the Scottish Government that they should receive greater focus, not least because of their importance in expanding the flexibility of the economy—it is disappointing to have heard them receive only scant mention at the end of the statement. Could the minister at least explain the principles that she is examining for part-time support?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
We move to our next item of business, which is a statement by Shirley-Anne Somerville on student support. The minister will take questions at the end of her ...
The Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
This Government has made to people who want to study at college and university in Scotland the firm commitment that access must be based on the ability to le...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you. That was quite a detailed statement from the minister, and I am conscious that the previous statement overran. That will not affect the opening qu...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for early sight of the statement. I welcome many aspects of it, particularly in the context of the lessons to be learned from Professor ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I will begin with the issue of part-time students, because it is very important. The review that was chaired by Jayne-Anne Gadhia did not look at part-time s...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the minister for the early sight of her statement. There are indeed some things in it to welcome: the raising of the care-leavers’ bursary and more c...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I would have more time for Iain Gray’s statements and questions on the issue if the Labour Party had come forward during the budget negotiations with one cal...
Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
SNP
As the minister outlined in her statement, NUS Scotland has long campaigned against the postcode lottery effect in further education bursary support. Will sh...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
It will be a welcome development that we are looking to ensure that we have a guaranteed bursary available to further education students. The postcode lotter...
Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome the commitment that has been made to look at providing more support for disabled students and carers. Will the minister outline the principles that...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I very much look forward to the consultation that will be undertaken later this year, because we will look at all the barriers that have an impact on disable...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I note the minister’s comment that she shares the ambition of the review to achieve student support at the level of the real living wage. Can she outline the...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Ms Lamont, that is too many questions.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Taking this forward is not a straightforward decision for the Government. As I said in my response to Liz Smith, it requires the Student Loans Company to bui...
Iain Gray
Lab
England did it last year.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
As Iain Gray says, England did it last year, but it has a much higher interest rate. It is simply not possible to do this in a different timeframe unless the...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
What discussions did the Scottish Government have with the commissioner for fair access about further work on student finance?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
The commissioner did not look at student finance as the commission for fair access requested because a significant review of student finance was on-going und...
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green)
Green
I welcome the minister’s commitment to more support for higher and further education students who have additional support needs. Does she agree that more par...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Part-time college courses are exceptionally important, particularly for more mature learners, which is why colleges continue to hold the majority of such cou...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
I, too, welcome aspects of the report, including the provisions on mental health and raising the repayment threshold. We have heard about how the level of d...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
It is important that we look into what we can do for the different student demographics. That will ensure that we respond to the needs of students who come f...
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
I warmly welcome the Government’s commitment to increase support for our care-experienced students, acknowledging the significant barriers that they face in ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I very much recognise the challenges that have been faced by care-experienced students when they access further and higher education, and I want to put on re...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The minister talked about her party’s record in government on student support. When will the 2007 manifesto commitment to wipe out all student debt be delive...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
The Scottish Government was elected with commitments to decrease the terms of loans and increase the thresholds for loans, and we are delivering on that today.
Ivan McKee (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
SNP
What impact is the education maintenance allowance, which was scrapped south of the border, having on those from our most disadvantaged communities, such as ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
We widened the eligibility for education maintenance allowance in January 2016, to ensure that more students from lower-income households could take advantag...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
It is carers week, so I wonder why there was nothing in the statement for students with caring responsibilities. Why the delay, and when will the minister fu...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
That is another area that the review of student support did not look at in detail. That is why I have committed to ensuring that the Scottish Government will...