Exclusive:Tories to vote against new colleges bill - despite amendments to tackle gender-based violence on campus

Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson today announced it has tabled a new amendment brought by Tory MSP Pam Gosal that would introduce a mandatory need to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) on campus.

However, despite this and other changes, shadow cabinet secretary for education Miles Briggs said his party will not back it.

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Mr Briggs said: “Despite amendments I have secured as this bill has progressed, the SNP have still failed to put measures in place to strengthen apprenticeship opportunities and the technical sector and we will vote against it today.

“After almost two decades in power, the SNP’s dismal failure to invest in skills means that Scottish businesses can’t grow, young people are losing out and the economy is lagging behind the rest of the UK.”

MSPs are voting today on the Tertiary Education and Training Bill, which changes how the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) provides funding support.

One of the aims of the Bill was to fold Skills Development Scotland (SDS) into the Scottish Funding Council and give responsibility for further education student support to the Student Awards Agency Scotland.

It sets out what the Scottish Government will provide funding for in relation to work-based training and apprenticeships and how the SFC allocated that funding.

One proposal in the Bill is to strengthen how colleges and universities prevent and respond to GBV.

New measures would mandate that all post-16 education bodies act to address GBV and provide support for students experiencing abuse, as a condition of SFC funding.

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Institutions will be required to report annually to the SFC on compliance with these new requirements around gender-based violence, under the terms of the amendments brought forward by Mr Macpherson.

These amendments were drawn up with the organisation EmilyTest and Ms Gosal.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman confirmed the party would vote in support of this amendment and others secured by Mr Briggs but vote against the bill overall.

Mr Macpherson said: “Our colleges and universities should always be places where all students can live, study and socialise safe from harm or harassment.

“Furthermore, all staff have the right to go to work in an environment free from the risk of abuse and violence.

“Institutions must take every action within their power to reduce the risk of GBV happening.

“If passed by MSPs, these amendments and this Bill will make a meaningful and important impact.”

Mr Briggs called the SNP’s record on supporting colleges and boosting apprenticeships “woeful” and added “this flawed bill will do nothing to repair the damage they have done”.

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He said: “John Swinney’s government has slashed college funding by 20 per cent over the last five years, while the number of apprenticeships has plummeted by as much as third in the last decade.

“Scottish businesses are crying out for the workforce to have the skills needed for the future, but the SNP have been missing in action.”

Scottish Labour has been similarly critical of the Bill, calling it a “pointless rejig of SNP quangos” while the union Unison raised its concern about the proposals.

The education committee took the unusual step of not making a recommendation on the legislation, saying it could not support the Bill without a clear idea of the costs of the proposals.

Initial suggestions put costs at between £2.7 million and £30m.

The committee had urged ministers to clarify the cost of transferring staff from the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) pension scheme to the Scottish Funding Council.

The Scottish Government estimated this could cost up to £23 million, but the chief executive for SDS believed the cost could be higher.

MSPs will vote on the legislation on Tuesday evening.