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Thank you. Minister, you will be aware of the SFC’s report on the financial circumstances that colleges face. I do not think that it forecasts that it will improve in the way that you have described. The change mid-year has been significantly difficult for colleges, so I am not sure that they would characterise the situation in that way either. In order to respond to the Withers review in the way that you have described—much of which I am heartened by—might colleges need some additional funding at the outset, perhaps to make savings in the longer term, when all the changes have been made?

May I ask one further question, convener?

Is it your intention to keep or to scrap SAAB?

Happy new year, minister. I have a quick question. Will the new funding body have non-departmental public body status?

Thank you for answering the questions so far. I am encouraged by the comments that you just made around the role of colleges and apprenticeships as we move forward and the potential for some of the resource to be more directed to colleges.

The minister will be aware that there is a fall in resources for colleges this year and a funding cut of about £100 million from the Scottish Funding Council. Can you set out how you expect colleges to respond to the Withers review against that backdrop?

On SEEP, you said that 21 applications were successful. How many applications were made and what sector did they come from? Were they from the youth work, college or school sector?

I appreciate that and, obviously, I would have pressed you on where you think that duplication is.

First, is that work on-going? Are you looking at where the duplication is? When would you be able to update the committee on where you think there is duplication of resource so that you could move it around? How do you think that colleges can begin to prepare for the reforms that are suggested without all that information and the additional resource?

Can I therefore assume that you anticipate that the current resource allocation will be used to take forward any of the suggested reforms and that there will be no additional resource?

I will end my questioning by asking about flexibilities. Do you know what impact any of the flexibilities that you have already provided in the system have had on colleges?

Thank you.