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Plenary, 15 Feb 2007

15 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary

Item of business

Crichton University Campus

Brownlee, Derek Con South of Scotland Watch on SPTV

I also thank Elaine Murray for securing today's debate on what is a very important subject to Dumfries and Galloway, as well as to the south of Scotland and Scotland more generally. If anyone is any doubt about the importance of this debate, they need only look at the public gallery and see the number of people who have travelled up here today. Members from the south of Scotland will have received a significant volume of e-mails and correspondence on the subject. It is very important that the Crichton flourishes, and we need to do everything that we can to ensure that that happens, rather than simply talk about it.

Many other members touched on the demographic trends in Dumfries and Galloway, which are truly frightening in some respects. The depopulation of young people from the area will have serious connotations if current trends are allowed to continue. Those trends are based on the continuation of the Crichton project rather than on its diminution. If we want to retain young people in, and attract them to, Dumfries and Galloway, surely a project such as the Crichton is one of the key ways of achieving that.

The project will be successful only if it is a broad one. Members spoke about the interaction of other institutions. Alasdair Morgan mentioned the importance of offering general as well as vocational education at the Crichton, and he is absolutely right. We have to value education in itself. Many people who undertake a general education will subsequently be of great importance to the economy and the future of Dumfries and Galloway. A broad range of institutions and subjects on the campus is crucial to making the Crichton as much and as attractive as it can be.

Other members touched on one of the thorniest issues—equity with the Highlands and Islands. We should be clear that none of us seeks to take anything away from the Highlands and Islands; none of us decries the concept of the UHI Millennium Institute or anything else. We simply want fairness and equal treatment because some of the challenges that the south-west and south of Scotland face are similar to those in the Highlands and Islands. There is no reason why we in the south should be treated less favourably than people in the Highlands and Islands. There is a serious case for the Government to look closely at how the Highlands and Islands is treated and how the south is treated and to implement measures to ensure that they are treated equitably.

I saw the minister raise an eyebrow when Fiona Hyslop spoke about not intervening directly in decisions by universities. I understand the controversial nature of telling a university what to do, but taxpayers' money funds such places, and taxes are paid in Dumfries and Galloway as they are everywhere else. If we cannot tell the University of Glasgow where to put its student places, surely we could ring fence finance for the Crichton more effectively to ensure that it is sustained.

There is a way forward that we can look at on a cross-party basis—it is not all doom and gloom. There is an opportunity for us to make this work and it is important that the minister takes that away from this evening's debate. I would like him to comment on the powers that he has to give more direction to ensure that the Crichton money is rooted at the Crichton and is protected.

Alex Fergusson quoted some constituents and I will end with another important quote:

"the truth is that we need more, better-educated young people with higher-level skills if our economy is to meet the global challenge from fast-growing economies such as India and China, which are already investing substantially in higher education."

Those are the words of the Prime Minister, writing in today's edition of The Daily Telegraph. What he says is as true of Dumfries and Galloway as it is of the rest of the country. I hope that the Executive will acknowledge that by showing some support for the Crichton.