Cabinet Secretary corrects the record on bursaries

The Cabinet Secretary wrote last week to Michael McMahon MSP, correcting her statement to the Scottish Parliament that bursaries had not been cut (see here) and undertaking to go through the formal process of correcting the parliamentary record (it’s not yet visibly changed, as at the time of writing, but that’s no doubt in progress).

The text of her letter is included in this FT blog post,which points out that the correction does not go as far as admitting bursaries were cut, only that there have not been cuts in student support more generally.  This is true, because so much additional loan has come into the system, off-setting overall the effect of grant cuts.  The reaction from the opposition was reported here.

Although it is difficult to see what alternative there would have been without breaching the ministerial code, it’s welcome all the same that this correction  has been volunteered relatively quickly.  The letter was written on the same day the issue was raised at FMQs, where the FM declined to respond to questions on the government’s record on bursaries,  concentrating on other issues: see the FT blog above and elsewhere in the media.