Scots get Pounds 2m

Scottish education minister Brian Wilson has reinstated Pounds 2 million in funds for staff restructuring in further education just as two colleges have warned of impending redundancies.

Colleges may bid for help with the costs of early retirements, redundancies and retraining.

The minister has also backed a recovery plan for Clydebank College, which has already won an emergency loan of Pounds 934,000. The plan will cost an estimated Pounds 719,000, and the college is likely to implement between 30 and 40 redundancies without significant course cuts.

Bell College is seeking 10 voluntary redundancies as a result of Scottish Office funding cuts.