Hansard

Yes. I suspect that in some ways this is the tip of the iceberg, because the current funding model, particularly for specialised disciplines, is leading to this situation. I would be quite interested to open, in as constructive a way as possible, a discussion with the Royal Conservatoire about the challenges that it thinks it faces and what its application and award of places model is. I would like to find out the extent to which it wants to be candid about allocation of places, based on the fact that some allocation creates an additional financial revenue stream, and the extent to which it accepts or acknowledges the difficulties that that might be placing on the ability of Scotland-domiciled residents to access courses at the Royal Conservatoire. Ultimately, there is a reputational issue for the Royal Conservatoire. It enjoys a tremendous amount of public goodwill; I know that to be so. That is the case very much because it is the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and people will imagine that talented people here in Scotland have a fair and equal opportunity to access courses in the disciplines in which it specialises. Although I accept that that argument could be made in relation to access to other further education institutions, we are considering a petition in relation to a particular matter, so it would be reasonable for us—using the official hat of the Scottish Parliament—to seek slightly more information from the conservatoire, at least.