The Scottish Government has still not responded to a request from the Ministry of Defence for match-funding to establish two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in Scotland, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard has told Parliament.
In a written answer given on 21 May in response to a question from Graeme Downie MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, Pollard confirmed that on 12 March 2026 the MoD announced its ambition to establish two colleges “aligned to support the defence clusters in the East and West of Scotland,” as part of the Scotland Defence Growth Deal. He said the MoD’s £10 million investment was “contingent on the Scottish Government providing match-funding.”
Pollard confirmed that on the same day, together with the Secretary of State for Scotland, he wrote to Scottish Government ministers seeking that commitment. “We are still awaiting their response,” he said.
The Defence Technical Excellence Colleges were highlighted at the Scottish Defence Procurement and Supply Chain Summit in Glasgow on 20 May as a central element of the Scotland Defence Growth Deal, with MoD Deputy Head of Place and Industry Skills Calum Taylor recently describing them as designed to build a pipeline of skilled workers for the defence sector in areas where defence activity is concentrated.
The colleges are intended to provide clear routes into employment and a long-term talent pipeline for both primes and SMEs operating in the Scottish defence supply chain.
