More than a quarter of adults in Scotland have no qualifications, a report released today has revealed. The National Records of Scotland said 27 per cent of the population aged 16 and over – equivalent to 1.1 million people - were unqualified, with rates varying hugely depending on where a person lived. The report also stated 26 per cent had qualifications similar to a university degree, a figure which also changed depending on geography. The figures come after the Scottish Government slashed the colleges budget, with employers regularly complaining that young people in Scotland were lacking many of the skills needed for the workplace. Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “It seems incredible that the SNP’s answer to there being more than one million Scots with no qualifications is to cut the money for colleges. “The Scottish Government is making it incredibly difficult for people to get on the education ladder by starting part-time courses, and is not listening to the business community which says there is a lack of skilled workers. “We also have to work on the levels of aspiration among our younger people. “No-one is saying you need a university degree to get by in life, but clearly someone with absolutely no qualifications of any sort is going to find it very difficult to get work. “Colleges open up the world of education to people of all ages in all circumstances. It is utterly irresponsible of the Scottish Government to make this path more difficult by removing money from colleges.”