Construction Industry Training Board and National Construction College

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 17 January 2019.

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Photo of Neil Bibby Neil Bibby Labour

6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the future of the Construction Industry Training Board and the national construction college campus in Scotland. (S5O-02784)

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

The Construction Industry Training Board recently announced, as a result of a review of operations across the UK, that part of its role will be transferred to Shared Services Connected Ltd.

As part of the announcement, the Construction Industry Training Board has placed on the market the national construction college at Inchinnan, but it has confirmed that it does not intend to close the training facility.

The responsibility for the changes lies with the UK Government, of course, but the Scottish Government will provide support to employees who potentially face redundancy.

Photo of Neil Bibby Neil Bibby Labour

This is a very concerning time for CITB staff in Renfrewshire, where the campus is based. I welcomed Jamie Hepburn’s meeting yesterday with the GMB trade union. Although oversight of CITB is reserved, training policy is devolved. Will the Scottish Government therefore assess the impact that the changes could have on training standards in the Scottish construction sector? Will he make representations to CITB and SSCL to keep those jobs in Renfrewshire, including the 29 administration staff who face the prospect of being paid off in October? Is he also prepared to explore other avenues in order to retain in Scotland the jobs and the knowledge of those workers?

Photo of Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Scottish National Party

We are, of course, concerned about the impact that the change will have on employees who may not transfer as part of the process, and who may indeed face redundancy. As the member mentioned, my colleague, Jamie Hepburn, met the GMB yesterday to discuss a number of issues that arise out of the changes. We are convinced that our system for training in the construction sector remains robust. However, we will learn any lessons that have to be learned, and check whether there is any detrimental impact—which we are keen to avoid—from the changes to the CITB. Indeed, we are monitoring very closely many of the issues that the member mentioned, and we will keep him informed.