GOVERNMENT plans to tackle skills shortages by investing directly in Scottish colleges threaten “to bypass the devolution settlement,” the SNP said today.

The proposals come just weeks after the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) warned that many colleges were “not sustainable” following years of real-terms cuts to funding and jobs,

Defence procurement minister Luke Pollard revealed on Tuesday that discussions were under way to fund courses such as welding.

“There’s work in Scotland to be done,” he said. “We know there’s young people who would succeed if they were given the chance and they’re not being given that chance with a government that is not valuing their sector and that’s precisely why we’re stepping up to fund the places in Scotland that are needed, because these are good jobs.”

Hitting back, SNP Higher Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “It is extremely concerning that a UK government minister is apparently threatening to bypass the devolution settlement and interfere in Scotland’s colleges.

“The UK government must make clear that this is not their intention as a matter of urgency. Anything else would be completely unacceptable and show contempt for the Scottish Parliament.”