SCOTLAND’S universities have hit out at the UK Government for leaving them in the dark over Brexit and funding.

In his spending review on Wednesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak earmarked no new money to get the university sector over the impact of Covid-19.

With the end of the transition period looming, umbrella body Universities Scotland says the country’s institutions face “financial insecurity” as a result of Westminster decisions and still do not know what will happen for students or staff.

Today the body welcomed the increase in the Scottish block grant and £400 million-a-year spend on research. But it said: “There was no new money assigned to the sector directly from the Treasury to help with issues caused by the pandemic and little clarity over the future funding arrangements at the end of the transition period out of the EU.”

It went on: “Universities are now facing uncertainty with no clarity about how much money will be coming to Scotland via either the investment in research or the Shared Prosperity Fund.”

The Scottish Funding Council estimates the sector will face an overall deficit of £176m in 2020-21.

Universities Scotland is calling for “rapid progress” on funding in the Scottish Budget of “at least” the “complete reversal of the £750 per student real terms erosion in funding since 2014-15”.

Its convenor, Professor Gerry McCormac, said: “It is regrettable that with only days to go until the end of the transition period we still have no clarity over our future research relationship with the EU, nor do we know if we will be members of the Erasmus student mobility scheme. Whilst we welcome the commitment that all EU funds will be covered, the lack of detail around the Shared Prosperity Fund is of concern.”

Saying the Universities Scotland call will “inform our thinking” on funding, the Scottish Government said: “We expect full replacement of EU funds to ensure no detriment to Scotland’s finances and we expect the UK Government to fully respect the devolution settlement in any future arrangement.”