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I think the term is “protected”.

Okay. Thank you.

That brings our first evidence session this morning to a close. I thank our witnesses for their time.

We will now hear evidence from our second panel, which is on university funding. I welcome Dr Gavan Conlon, a partner with London Economics; Ellie Gomersall, president of the National Union of Students Scotland; and Mary Senior, Scotland official from the University and College Union Scotland. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for your written submissions. We will move straight to members’ questions. For this panel, we will kick off with questions from Ross Greer.

So perhaps you are arguing for reform of fees and how universities are funded. l come to Mary Senior now.

Ellie, there was a lot in that answer, so rather than repeating points, it would be helpful if you could focus on some other issues.

Pam Duncan-Glancy has a brief supplementary question before we close the session.

If there is time at the end, we can pick that up again.

Yes—we are very much aware that we are a panel member down.

David Belsey said that students are studying part time because they have to work, but I wonder whether we could tip that on its head a little. The world is now very different in terms of flexible working and how people learn and live. Do you think that having more flexible courses might be more beneficial for colleges in getting more people to come in? That would put a more positive spin on the opportunities that flexible learning and courses offer.

That is okay.

Audit Scotland’s report “Scotland’s colleges 2023” stated that

“further ... staffing reductions ... could severely erode”

colleges’

“ability to deliver a viable curriculum.”

David Belsey has spoken about that a bit. The SFC has said that 21 per cent of staff could be removed from the sector by 2025-26. What assessment have you made of the current staffing situation? What action do the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council have to take to help colleges in that regard?

Who would like to go first?