Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 3:45 pm on 20 January 2026.
Ben Macpherson
Scottish National Party
3:45,
20 January 2026
My amendments 14, 19 and 26 make the same technical adjustments to the new sections 9F, 9G and 9H of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, as inserted by the bill through non-Government amendments that were accepted at stage 2 to remove incorrect references to sections 12D and 12J of the 2005 act.
Those changes simply correct references so that the 2005 act is clearly drafted and functions properly. There is no practical difference to how the provisions will operate in effect. Where conditions are attached to post-16 education bodies by virtue of sections 9F, 9G and 9H, they will apply to all of the operations of the post-16 education bodies, notwithstanding that those bodies might also provide education and training under other aspects of the 2005 act.
I ask members to support all of my amendments in the group. I move Amendment 14.
Amendment 14 agreed to.
Amendments 15 and 16 moved—[Ben Macpherson]—and agreed to.
Section 2D—Duty to place conditions on funding: whistleblowing
Amendments 17 to 23 moved—[Ben Macpherson]—and agreed to.
Section 2E—Duty to place conditions on funding: engagement with trade unions, students and external partners
Amendments 24 to 28 moved—[Ben Macpherson]—and agreed to.
Amendment 3 not moved.
After section 2E
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
