Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill costs: FOI release

Information requested

The total cost incurred by the Scottish Government since 2021 in connection with the development, drafting and consultation of the Tertiary Education and Research (Scotland) Bill which should include:

• Staffing, research and working group costs.
• Public or stakeholder consultation exercises.
• External consultants or commissioned research (including the Whittaker Review).
• Any projected implementation or transition costs known to date.

You asked for a breakdown by financial year from 2021–22 to 2025–26.

Response

We have interpreted that your request is in relation to the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill and the “Whittaker Review” you referred to as the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape, led by James Withers.

1. Staffing costs

We cannot provide an exact figure for the internal staffing costs associated with the development of the Bill. This is because in line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded because there is no business need to do this. Therefore, under Section 17(1) of FOISA the Scottish Government does not hold information on Scottish Government staff costs related to the development of the Bill.

2. Consultation and research costs

The table below outlines the various consultation and research activities relevant to the development of the Bill. All costs provided are inclusive of VAT.

Activity		Total costs
2021 – 2022
1	N/A	£0
2022 – 2023
2	The Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape (“the Withers Review”): Independent Advisor fee, travel expenses, consultation publication and analysis	£27,496
3	Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles (“Purpose and Principles”): Publication of discussion guide for interim Purpose and Principles – normal version, easy read and Gaelic version.	£4,188
2023 – 2024
4	The Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape (“the Withers Review”): Independent advisor fees, travel expenses, consultation analysis, report publication	£17,161
5	Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles (“Purpose and Principles”): Publication costs for Purpose and Principles main report and supporting documents	£1,122
6	Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles (“Purpose and Principles”): Publication costs for full logic models and report	£1,112
7	Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles (“Purpose and Principles”): Publication costs for Equalities Impact Assessments	£955
2024 – 2025
8	Post-school education and skills reform legislation: Publishing costs for consultation paper	£4,457
9	Post-school education and skills reform legislation: External analysis by Craigforth	£19,333
10	Post-school education and skills reform legislation: Publication of consultation analysis	£3,836
11	Post-school funding body landscape simplification: Publication of the outline business case and supplementary document	£2,537
12	Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill: Publication of Impact Assessments	£3,498
13	Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles (“Purpose and Principles”): Publication of full logic models	£1,103

Whilst the development of the Bill was informed by the Withers Review, the review was wider in scope. The purpose of the Withers Review was to make recommendations on how the skills delivery public body and advisory landscape should be adapted to drive forward the Scottish Government's ambitions for a skilled workforce as set out in its National Strategy for Economic Transformation. Whilst we have provided costs for the Withers Review, these costs cannot fully be attributed to the development of the Bill.

Similarly, the Purpose and Principles also had a wide scope and included overarching objectives for the post-school education and skills reform programme, of which this Bill forms a part. Therefore, any costs provided in relation to Purpose and Principles cannot be fully attributed to the development of the Bill.

3. Working group costs

The Scottish Government delivered workshops and events in relation to the consultation and development Purpose and Principles. These workshops and events did not incur any costs.

4. Implementation and transition costs

A Financial Memorandum was published for the Bill and provides the best estimate costs of the Bill. It identifies the main costs and potential savings that will come from the implementation of the Bill and from further subordinate legislation.

You can access the Financial Memorandum from the Scottish Parliament’s website: Financial Memorandum accessible.

If you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact us again and we will send you a paper copy.

About FOI

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