CUTS to college budgets are hitting young people in Glasgow putting places and courses at risk an MSP has warned.

Patricia Ferguson, Maryhill and Springburn Labour MSP, has criticised the Scottish Government.

She cited North Glasgow College as one which has suffered cuts of almost £2m in two years, leading to staff cuts and fewer opportunities and less choice for students.

Ms Ferguson has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the likely impact of the cuts and the detrimental effect on the efforts to get young people the qualifications they need to find work.

North Glasgow College based in Springburn, in a recently new built campus was given a budget cut of £1m last year and another £823,000 this year.

Ms Ferguson said investment in skilling the younger generation should be a priority in times of high unemployment and recession.

She said: "In Scotland youth unemployment is rising and this constituency has the highest claimant count in Scotland.

"We need as many opportunities for young people as possible."

The head of the college said they are trying to ensure they keep as many students in education as possible but each year is more challenging.

Ronnie Knox, North Glasgow College Principle, said: "In the first year of cuts we kept the same level of activity by doing more for less and we lost 32 staff. This year we have had voluntary severances but the activity is now less.

"We have the same courses but fewer places so to ensure students still get on the courses they want we have had to redeploy them in other colleges in the city."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "From 2007 until the end of our spending review period, we will have invested £4.7billion in colleges alone – 40% more in cash terms than the investment made under the two terms of the previous administration.

"Through the Non Profit Distribution model we will be investing £200m to build a new City of Glasgow College, the largest investment ever made in any college in Scotland.

"We are also investing an additional £13m in college provision through Skills Development Scotland, £15m for the 'College Transformation Fund' and an additional £11.4m for student support."

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