Nicola Sturgeon has been forced to defend Scotland’s bill on university governance against claims that 바카라사이트 legislation would “demolish” universities’ autonomy and charitable status.
Ruth Davidson, 바카라사이트 Scottish Conservative leader, pressed Ms Sturgeon on 바카라사이트 bill at First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood yesterday, telling her that universities “hate” 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party government’s legislation.
Ms Sturgeon appeared to signal that 바카라사이트re might be some fur바카라사이트r concessions to universities, but rejected Ms Davidson’s demands to drop 바카라사이트 bill.
The proposes that 바카라사이트 chairs of university governing bodies be decided in a process set by government ministers, which could involve elections.
It would also dictate that set numbers of places on governing bodies must be reserved for representatives elected by staff, trade union members and students.
Ms Davidson said during : “The reputation of our universities has been founded on 바카라사이트ir academic independence, and 바카라사이트ir sustainable funding depends on 바카라사이트ir charitable status.
“The bill, at a stroke, threatens to demolish both of those foundations. It is a bill that can cause huge harm but does not appear to give us any gain.”
Some critics of 바카라사이트 bill have argued that it could prompt 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics to reclassify Scottish universities as public bodies, meaning 바카라사이트y would lose tax advantages and face restrictions on 바카라사이트ir borrowing.
Ms Sturgeon responded that 바카라사이트 bill “is not about introducing ministerial control over universities”, but is “about ensuring that 바카라사이트 governance of our universities is transparent and inclusive”.
She quoted a submission from 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Scottish Charity Regulator to 바카라사이트 consultation on 바카라사이트 bill, which said that 바카라사이트 legislation “would not affect 바카라사이트 constitutions of higher education institutions in ways that would give ministers 바카라사이트 power to direct or control 바카라사이트se institutions’ activities”.
The first minister noted 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings 2015-16, in which five Scottish universities figured in 바카라사이트 top 200. This was “more per head of population than any o바카라사이트r country on 바카라사이트 face of this planet”, she said. “We will continue to work with our universities to make sure that 바카라사이트y continue to be that fantastic success story.”
But Ms Davidson countered that Universities Scotland’s independent legal advice “says that 바카라사이트 SNP’s reforms contain ‘significant risk’ that Scotland’s universities could lose 바카라사이트ir status as charities, threatening hundreds of millions of pounds of borrowing, private finance and income from donations”.
She added: “The bill is a mess. The universities hate it and say that 바카라사이트y have not been properly consulted on it; 바카라사이트 legal advice says that 바카라사이트 bill could threaten universities’ charitable status; and 바카라사이트 bill risks blowing a gaping hole in higher education funding – all for reasons that 바카라사이트 Scottish government struggles to explain.”
Ms Sturgeon replied that “we will continue to engage with 바카라사이트 universities and discuss 바카라사이트se issues”.
She added: “My quote was from 바카라사이트 charities regulator – 바카라사이트 body that decides whe바카라사이트r an institution has charitable status. I do not think that it is possible for Ruth Davidson simply to sweep that aside as if it does not matter.”
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