The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Sturgeon’s education pledge ‘farcical’ as Budget cuts funds
POLITICS: Revenue for universities down despite priority claim
Universities in Scotland will have £417 million less for day-to-day spending than four years ago if the Budget is approved this week, according to new figures.
Labour say the 11% real terms reduction in revenue funds for vicechancellors since Nicola Sturgeon become first minister destroys her claim that education is a priority.
The SNP Government said they have once again handed universities more than £1 billion for everyday spending.
The Budget is due to complete its passage through Holyrood on Thursday after income tax changes are confirmed tomorrow.
Figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Service, obtained by Scottish Labour, reveal universities’ resource budget will be £1.007bn for 2019-20. That compares with £1.135bn in 2014-15.
Allowing for the impact of inflation, that amounts to a £417m reduction in spending power over that period, according to the Labour analysis of the Spice data.
Iain Gray, for Scottish Labour, said Ms Sturgeon’s claim that education is her priority is “utterly farcical when stacked up next to the numbers”.
“Universities have faced more cuts under the SNP,” he said.
“That’s bad for students in Scotland and for the future of the Scottish economy – but rather than reverse those cuts, the SNP-Green Budget proposes even more.”
Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said the funding deal for universities will help them remain “attractive, competitive and truly excellent in global terms”.
“Labour’s attack on university funding is puzzling given that they failed to demand a single extra penny for universities during their shambolic Budget negotiations,” he said.
“We have invested over £1 billion in our universities every year since
2012-13.”
He added: “Unlike the Labour Party, we continue to protect the principle of free education – as well as widening access to university for people from the most deprived communities.”