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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 19 March 2025
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Displaying 2095 contributions

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Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 31 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Good morning. Can you offer a few thoughts on the issue of the wild camping and motorhome fraternity throughout Europe? You will have heard lots of discussion at committee, both today and last week, about that particular issue and the fact that such visitors would not be subject to the levy and that it would indeed be very difficult to apply it to them. What happens in Europe with regard to campers and motorhome users? Do they pay a visitor levy? How does that work?

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

I want to follow up the questions that Colin Beattie posed about the potential for commercial income. What is the colleges’ relationship—if any—with the European Union now and what will it be going forward? Stephen Boyle will know that they used to benefit from European social fund money and so on. Was that ever replaced in any way, shape or form? What is preventing Scotland’s colleges from continuing to develop even a commercial relationship with the European Union?

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

I have a final question on Ayrshire College. Auditor General, you cite the residual private finance initiative payments that the college is still making. As I understand it, it still pays £2 million a year to pay off the PFI investment from about 23 years ago. Is that still contained in the college’s financial projections? Will it be part of the forecast scenario going forward?

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Good morning, Auditor General. I want to open up a bit of discussion on the Ayrshire College commentary that is in your briefing. There is almost a doomsday scenario potential forecast in there that would worry everyone in the sector—it would worry everyone in Ayrshire—but the college principal has subsequently ruled that forecast out and has not adopted that forecasting. She has written to members to clarify that.

Could you give us a flavour of where these forecasts come from and who scrutinises their viability? Do they follow criteria set by the SFC? Why are not all the colleges doing what Ayrshire College and Glasgow Kelvin College have done?

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Well, I am.

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Ayrshire College is the only one that still carries a PFI burden, as I understand it. That has had a substantial impact on the college over many years. Thank you very much for answering those questions.

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Okay. Fine. Thank you.

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

When will the Scottish Funding Council review the forecasts? When will we get some clarity or even certainty on the matter?

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

It will surely have to form part of the projections if the college faces a £2 million burden up to 2025. I imagine that it will still have to be captured within this scenario as well.

Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 26 October 2023

Willie Coffey

Ayrshire College is the only college in Scotland that still has a live PFI liability.