College budget cut necessary to fund teachers’ pay settlement, says minister

A minister has acknowledged the “disappointment and concern” from universities and colleges after £46 million was cut from their budget to fund teachers’ pay demands.

Graeme Dey, the minister for higher and further education, said “tough decisions” on the budget had been necessary due to the fiscal situation.

He spoke to Holyrood’s Education Committee on Wednesday morning, after college and university leaders expressed their anger at the cuts earlier this month.

The £46 million was required “principally” for the teachers’ pay settlement, the minister said.

Mr Dey said the decision was “regrettable”, but added: “This is the reality that we’re operating in and we have to deal with the situation as it exists.”

The committee was told the teacher pay settlement will cost £89 million in the current financial year, and the remainder will come from the education budget as a whole.

Strike action by teachers earlier this year resulted in an improved pay offer.

Mr Dey continued: “I entirely recognise the disappointment and concern that has been expressed both by the colleges and universities over the impact of this.”

The minister said he and Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth had recently met with college principals to discuss future support.

Stephen Kerr, a Conservative member of the committee, accused the SNP Government of a “hatchet job” on the Scottish college sector.

He said: “How can the college sector do the job that we all know it needs to do when it’s been the victim of a Government hatchet job over 16 years?”

Mr Dey responded by saying “there’s lots of hyperbole in all that”, saying college enrolments and teaching time is increasing.