Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP challenged the First Minister today on what he is doing with the extra £400 million available from the UK Government. The Scottish Government received this extra money after they published the draft Budget Bill in September.
Willie Rennie MSPMr Rennie urged the First Minister to use some of this extra money to stop his £40 million cut to college budgets in Scotland.
Commenting after First Minister's Questions, Mr Rennie said:
"The Scottish Government has an extra £400 million available for the Scottish Budget than when they published their draft budget plans in September.
"The First Minister's cut to colleges is £40 million but he has now got more than ten times that available.
"Given that there have been 63,000 emails from college students to MSPs, and that NUS Scotland have told him that his college cuts will hit "the poorest people in some of the poorest communities", I can't understand why he is being so stubborn.
"Instead of independence dominating his Government's agenda, the First Minister needs to make increasing employment opportunities for young people, his top priority.
"The First Minister needs to do the right thing for colleges and reverse this cut."