Seòmar agus comataidhean

I will turn to council tax. Before we get into a wider conversation about that, I note the interim steps that the Government has taken. I welcome the fact that councils now have the ability to double council tax on second homes, alongside the existing powers on empty properties. However, when the policy was announced, the Government said that it would also explore moving beyond that. In Wales, councils can levy 300 per cent council tax on second and empty homes. The consultation on council tax for second and empty homes in Scotland, which took place in the spring of 2023, showed very strong support for empowering councils here with a similar option to the one that councils in Wales have, but that would require primary legislation.

Is it the Scottish Government’s intention to introduce such legislation during the remainder of this parliamentary session? If so, what would be the legislative vehicle for that? I am not aware of an obvious choice, but I can see the matter being within the scope of a couple of options.

The local authority has written to the Scottish Government. I apologise, but I cannot remember whether the letter was directed to you or to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

Thank you.

I have one final question—

Turning to colleges, I note that, in your letter to the committee a couple of weeks ago, you referred to colleges diversifying their income streams and increasing the income and revenue that they get outwith the SFC grant. I think that that is entirely legitimate and sensible. Indeed, in my region, Ayrshire College and NHS Ayrshire and Arran have a fantastic partnership, with a lot of the training needs for the local health service delivered through the college. That sort of thing could be expanded nationally. Can you outline the Scottish Government’s aspirations for the sector?

I think that that also points to the wider feedback that we have been getting for years from the college sector that it wants much more direction from Government, as this is an area where more direction would be helpful. Does the Government have an objective in that respect, whether it be cash-terms targets or a percentage of overall revenue? What exactly are you aiming for colleges to achieve in terms of income generation beyond the SFC grant?

Good morning. In the first instance, I return to Willie Rennie’s question about international students and university finance. I presume that the Scottish Government would agree that it is an unacceptable risk for any individual institution to be existentially dependent on tuition fees from students from one particular country, but that is currently the case, as a couple of institutions are dependent on international students from China in particular.

Whether it be through supporting individual institutions to diversify income streams or a wider reform of student funding and funding of universities, has the Government set itself an objective of supporting the university sector to ensure that, in three or five years from now, say, or on whatever timescale is set, no institution in Scotland will be financially existentially dependent on international students from any particular country?

I have one question for the cabinet secretary on the learning estate investment programme but, before that, I will finish off on college capital funding. The college capital allocation for the current financial year—not what is in the draft budget—reflects the 20 per cent cut that came down from the previous UK Government. That cut is now largely being reversed. In other areas in the draft budget for 2025-26, there is significant relief, restoration of funding and so on.

Not unreasonably, colleges expected to get part of that and to get their fair share of that relief for the capital budget, but that is not what has been allocated. Setting aside the money for the Dunfermline campus, the college capital budget is essentially flat—there is a very small real-terms increase. Why have colleges not benefited from that relief for the capital allocation when many other areas of the Government budget have?

That would be really helpful. This might be something for the letter, but can you confirm whether there is a timescale attached to that hub? I think that it is exactly what is required.

I accept that there is an element of tension—after all, universities, unlike colleges, are independent institutions—but can you confirm that it is the Scottish Government’s view that it is an unacceptable level of risk for an institution to be existentially dependent on tuition fees from students from any particular nation?

Yes.