Runairea' Chaibineit airson Foghlaim agus lonnsachadh Fadbheatha .

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Michael Russell MSP/BPA

FIT: 08457741741
E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

The Scottish Government

Riaghaltas na h-Alba

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP The Scottish Parliament EDINBURGH EH991SP

DELIVERING A GAMES LEGACY FOR SCOllAND

UrfaidhieNour ref: AM-24i01/12-----Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2012/0003738 )f'February 2012

Thlk you for your letter of 24 January to Angela Constance MSP, Minister for Youth Employment expressing your concern about college student support. I am replying as student support forms part of my Ministerial portfolio. Let me assure you that we are committed to supporting our students. This academic year, we increased funding for college student support to a record 84.2 million. On top of this record level of funding we provided an additional 11.4 million to support a record number of students. Even in this very difficult economic climate we gave a commitment that funding would be maintained for 2012/13 at existing baseline levels. In addition to fulfilling this commitment, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth announced on 8 February that we now intend to go even further by providing, as we did for this year, an additional one-off sum of 11.4 million. Given the wholly unjustifiable reduction in the Scottish budget being made by the UK Government, it is especially pleasing that we are able to continue this level of support to the students who need it most. I hope this is helpful.

MICHAEL RU

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EHl 3DG www.scotland.gov.uk

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