Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill

Closes 11 Apr 2025

Opened 28 Feb 2025

Contact

Education, Children and Young People Committee

ecyp.committee@parliament.scot

Overview

The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill was created to simplify the funding landscape for post-school education and training. It was introduced on 5 February 2025.

The Bill is in three main parts.

Part 1 focuses on funding arrangements for:

  • Scottish apprenticeships
  • work-based learning
  • training for employment

Under the Bill, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) would need to ensure that Scottish apprenticeships and work-based learning are available.

Scottish Ministers would also need to provide support for the delivery of Scottish apprenticeships and work-based learning.

Additionally, the Bill allows Ministers to make grants to the SFC for:

  • programmes that would provide people with training for employment
  • Scottish apprenticeships
  • work-based learning

The Bill sets out how the SFC can use those grants.

The Bill also sets out details about how the SFC interacts with the bodies it funds, including:

  • requiring bodies that receive funding to give the SFC certain information
  • allowing Ministers to make regulations requiring post-16 education bodies to tell the SFC about certain matters
  • allowing the SFC to make recommendations and issue guidance
  • requiring the SFC to monitor the financial sustainability of post-16 education bodies

The SFC would need to consider:

  • the interests of current and potential learners
  • how to support the use of research
  • how the activity it funds can address skills needs and economic, social and cultural issues

Part 2 of the Bill makes changes to the governance of the SFC including:

  • the reappointment of members
  • what skills and experience should be reflected on the Council
  • the use of co-opted members
  • the requirement for a new apprenticeship committee to be created

Part 3 of the Bill clarifies the process for providing student support to Scottish students studying at private institutions in the UK, putting it on a clearer statutory footing.

Questions in this call for views

Questions on Part 1

1.    The proposals would move the funding and functions related to National Training Programmes and provision for apprenticeships from Skills Development Scotland to the Scottish Funding Council. What do you think of these measures?

2.    The Bill would also move the funding and functions related to college student support from SFC to SAAS so that all student support funding is delivered through SAAS. What do you think of these measures?

3.    The Bill will provide SFC with powers to make recommendations, issue guidance and to monitor the financial sustainability of post-16 education bodies. What do you think of these measures?

Questions on Part 2

4.    The Bill makes changes to the governance of the SFC, to take account of its expanded functions, and to ensure that the Council has the skills and experience that it needs. Are the measures sufficient? 

Questions on Part 3

5.    The Bill aims to clarify the process for providing student support to Scottish students studying at private institutions in the UK. Do the measures provide enough clarity? Are the measures sufficient?

Further comments

6.    In your view, what should the outcomes of the Bill be?

How to submit your views

Please submit your views using the online submission form, linked to below.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

The call for views closes on 11 April 2025.

Give us your views

Click here to complete the submission form

Interests

  • ECYP