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Okay. Thank you.

I have a different question for Professor Boyne. In the submission that we received, Universities Scotland indicates that it is looking for a minimum of £171.1 million. The only identification of where that might come from is a fleeting reference to some small Barnett consequentials. You heard my questions to the previous panel, and I am sure you know exactly where I am going with this. I am not in any way diminishing the validity of what you are looking for or why you are looking for it. However, in what you have acknowledged are difficult financial circumstances, where do you suggest the Government ought to find the sums that you argue for?

We have already heard about the situation with the colleges, which have a claim on any money that can be generated. Have you identified something in the education portfolio budget that you think could be redistributed? Are we talking about raiding other budget lines? To be fair, the UCU talked about adjusting the taxation system and looking at the small business bonus, so it has at least made suggestions. What would you say to me on that?

I think that Joanna Campbell said a moment ago that 70 per cent of costs went on staffing. Earlier in the meeting we heard of another college where the figure was 80 per cent. However, the latest available figures for universities, which are from 2019, suggest that the average spend on staffing is 55 per cent. At face value, that is quite a discrepancy. From your position, is that a like-for-like comparison? You will accept that it is quite a difference.

Perhaps you could write back to the committee on that.

One of the aspirations of regionalisation was that colleges would end up with greater clout and status in their relationships with universities. Ten years on, to what extent have we achieved that parity of esteem and genuine partnership working between equals?

One of the luxuries that MSPs have is the ability to call for more funding for things without ever having to say where the funding will come from. I therefore very much commend you for looking at the overall picture and the alternatives to address the issues that you have highlighted.

I want to take you back to an earlier comment. As an alternative to more money—the upfront solution—you talked about the distribution model. Can I just be clear: did you mean the distribution of existing college funds or wider education funding? If so, from where in the education budget would those moneys be derived?

Good morning, panel. What are your views on the extent to which regionalisation has achieved its aims? Can you talk about the positives—and, I guess, any negatives—that have come out of it?

Other colleagues, no doubt, will cover the funding issues. Does anybody else want to contribute on this topic?

That suggests that universities’ ability to create income is the difference that is creating the discrepancy. Is that the case?

Over the past decade, we have gone through a process that has involved mergers and regionalisation. Can you briefly give us your views on the extent to which that process has achieved its aims? What have been the successes and where is there still room for improvement?

Derek Smeall talked about the greater influence that merged colleges have had. With that, has there come parity of esteem with universities? Is it a partnership of equals? Have you found that that aspect has improved?