Written Question · S1W-12019 · Session 1
What funding guidance it has given or plans to give the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council regarding the current pay dispute with un…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding guidance it has given or plans to give the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council regarding the current pay dispute with university staff over lecturers' pay; whether any such guidance will be the same as that issued by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, and what discussions it has had with the Secretary of State on this guidance and on the settlement of the dispute.
The answer
Pay negotiations are a matter for employers and the representatives of employees in the higher education sector. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is not an employer body nor does it take part in pay negotiations for the sector. I have had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on this matter nor has guidance on the handling of the current pay dispute been issued by the Secretary of State or the Executive.In my guidance letter of 23 November to SHEFC, I emphasised the need for the sector to improve human resource policies and management recognising that staff are our key resource. I believe the funding proposals for SHEFC provide sufficient headroom to increase the unit of funding to institutions to help them address modernisation issues such as management and leadership, progressive human resource policies and maintain the quality of teaching and learning.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-12019 by reference.