LIB DEMS REVEAL SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES ARE CLOSING THEIR DOORS

12.00.00am GMT Thu 28th Jan 2010

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have today published figures showing that many colleges are turning away four times as many applicants as last year.

Angus College has had to turn away 75 full time students.

At First Minister's Questions, Tavish Scott challenged Alex Salmond to make next week's Budget respond to this growing challenge.

Commenting, Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland said:

"There has been a dramatic increase this year in the number of people turned away from Scotland's colleges because there aren't enough places.

"Many colleges are turning away four times as many applicants as last year and some colleges have had to reject people for the very first time.

"In Angus, despite having no additional funding, they increased recruitment by 10% to their maximum capacity. There were still 75 students who were unable to be taken on to their preferred course despite fulfilling the criteria.

"Young people's career plans are being hit twice. With record unemployment they can't get a job and now they can't get a college place either.

"The Scottish Liberal Democrats raised this with the First Minister as part of our Budget negotiations and our figures today show why action here matters for Angus and for Scotland."

"Unemployment is still going up in Scotland. The number of young people claiming jobseekers' allowance has gone up 35% in the last year. We are the only part of Britain where the claimant count is still rising.

"Our figures show why action here matters for Scotland."