Scotland's education secretary has told MSPs that a former college principal should pay back a severance package criticised as being too large. 

John Doyle shared a £850,000 payout with six other senior staff when Coatbridge College merged with two others in 2013. 

Angela Constance told the Public Audit Committee the former principal should pay his "exorbitant" package back. 

However Mr Doyle told members he had "no reason" to return the money. 

He first appeared before the Holyrood committee in October, when he defended the payouts and said management had been "absolutely trashed when we have done nothing wrong". 

However, the former principal and chief executive was recalled to give further evidence after he was accused of "talking nonsense" to MSPs. 

Education Secretary Angela Constance says this debate is about three Audit Scotland reports on colleges, Coatbridge College and North Glasgow College.

Ms Constance says this debate will focus on areas needing improvement, but there are also many positives in the sector. 

She says the committee reports document how those trusted with stewardship of Coatbridge and North Glasgow Colleges broke that trust, which was appalling. 

In June, the Auditor General Caroline Gardner issued a highly-critical report of the severance deals paid out by Coatbridge College, which she said were overly-generous. 

She claimed Mr Doyle and chairman of the former college - John Gray - had colluded in order to "achieve a certain outcome" by withholding important information from the remuneration committee.

£849,842 was paid to seven staff leaving the college. 

Ms Gardner said she believed the chair of the board and the principal had worked together and withheld concerns over the payments. 

SNP MSP Nigel Don said it was a "bad example of misuse of funds...and feathering one's own nest". 

In June, the auditor general issued a highly-critical report of the severance deals paid out before the college become part of New College Lanarkshire last year. 

New College Lanarkshire was formed by a merger of Motherwell, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge Colleges. 

In her report, Ms Gardner stated that a total of 39 staff left from the former Coatbridge College at a cost of £1.7m. 

Mr Martin says the severance packages at Coatbridge College and North Glasgow Colleges were over generous. 

The Labour MSP says it is clear that transparency and accountability were not in place with the college mergers. 

The governance at a former college in Glasgow has been branded "unacceptable" by a committee of MSPs. 

North Glasgow College lacked openness and transparency, according to Holyrood's Public Audit Committee. 

It says the college's remuneration committee was unaware of its responsibilities and decisions on pay-offs fell short of the required standard. 

Principal Ronnie Knox received a pay-off of more than £310,000. 

John Gray, his vice-principal, received around £160,000. 

The college merged with two others in 2013 to create Glasgow Kelvin College. 

The committee's report follows criticism by the public spending watchdog Audit Scotland. 

Public Audit Committee convener Paul Martin says in relation to Coatbridge and North Glasgow College audits there were issues. 

Mr Martin says the audit of North Glasgow College highlighted poor governance.

There was a lack of a basic audit trail around the severance payments at North Glasgow College. 

Mr Martin says he was not convinced by the evidence of the Scottish Funding Council on either Coatbridge and North Glasgow College. 

More information is needed before a major shake-up in Scotland's colleges can be judged a success, according to a committee of MSPs. 

Scotland's colleges have merged in the past few years to create just 20 so-called "regional supercolleges". 

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Unions have warned about budget and job cuts, and there have been concerns about pay-offs at some institutions. 

Holyrood's Public Audit Committee has raised a number of concerns about the impact of college mergers. 

The committee chairman said the Scottish government and the Scottish Funding Council had not provided detailed figures to demonstrate efficiencies. 

Colleges have gone through a big shake-up in recent years affecting budgets and staff, the structure of institutions and their very role within the education system. 

The Public Audit Committee now eads a debate on the Overview of Scotland's Colleges 2015; 2012-13 Audit of North Glasgow College and 2013-14 Audit of Coatbridge College.

Ms Baillie says the minister is effectively refusing to participate in the parliamentary process, instead she is declaring the bill unamendable.

The Labour MSP says there is no good reason to not allow the Transplantation Bill go on to the amendment phase at Stage 2.

"Delaying the decision will cost lives."

According to NHSBT, this bill would lead to an increase of 70 donors which would be transformational insists Ms Baillie.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie says too many people in Scotland die while waiting for an organ transplant.

The minister wants to consult, but "time is a luxury that those on the waiting list do not have".

Ms Baillie says the minister's amendment is confused at best, this debate today is about the merits of the case, which Ms Watt says she agrees with.

If you agree with the general principles, then vote to agree with the general principles of the bill. 

The minister concludes saying the government recognises the positive aims of the bill but there are many significant problems with the drafting that it cannot support.

Some of the bill's provisions could actually make things worse, which is why she says the government must consult.

"We have to get it right for every donor and every recipient."

She concludes saying her members will have a free vote.

Ms Watt says experts are so concerned that we must do no harm and getting the legislation wrong could be devastating in organ donation.

The minister says there is "no clear international evidence that opt-out leads to more organ donations".

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie asks if halving the budget for advertising for organ donation will be harmful. 

Ms Watt says blanked advertising is not the way forward, insisting the peer education system is.

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt says it is clear everyone wants to see an increase in organ transplants.

However the Scottish government and experts in the field have serious doubts about the measures in this bill. 

Ms Watt insists the government consultation looking at a soft opt-out will start now and lead to a bill in 2017.

"Rushing through this flawed legislation would be likely to do more harm than good."

Labour MSP Drew Smith says it will be up to members who posed with photographers supporting a change to a soft opt-out to explain why they are voting against a bill that would deliver that change.

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Mr Smith says he believes soft opt-out would save lives.

He says the government's amendment has no indication of timescales.

That means a soft opt-out could not be introduced in the next parliament either, says Mr Smith. 

Labour MSP Drew Smith, closing on behalf of his party, says some members of the committee who had strong views are not in the chamber this afternoon.

Mr Smith says if we achieve nothing else today at least we have raised awareness of organ donation.

The Labour MSP says there are people in Scotland who will continue to die waiting for organs which is why he finds this debate so frustrating. 

There is a chronic need for more of a discussion about what we want to happen to our organs after our death.

Mr Smith commends the Welsh government for their "bravery". 

Mr Carlaw says he wants to see what happens in Wales, to learn from that experience and then see a bill brought followed in Holyrood in the next Parliament.

The Conservative MSP says moving to the whole population opting out is a concern.

Image source, PA

He warns of the enormous reputational damage that would occur if a move to an opt out system led to the wishes of somebody is not respected.

Mr Carlaw says he will support the government amendment. 

Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw says he was slightly uncomfortable that any one side on this debate has the moral high ground.

Everyone in this chamber wants more organ donation, he says.

Mr Carlaw says it is incredibly important that we do everything to increase the rate of organ donation and that nothing undermines the integrity of the donation programme.

The Conservative MSP highlights the role of specialist nurses and the whole hospital process in Spain have contributed to the increased donation rate.

SNP MSP Mike Mackenzie says he supported the general premise of the soft opt-out system at the beginning of the Health Committee scrutiny of the bill.

Mr Mackenzie says, after evidence from experts, he has been forced to change his mind, not on the general principles, but against the detail of the bill.

He says the evidence is not clear cut that soft opt-out systems increases organ donations.

Labour MSP Neil Findaly raises a point of order asking if MSPs are voting on the general principles of the bill.

Deputy Presiding Officer John Scott says indeed MSPs are voting on the general principles.

Labour MSP Margaret McCulloch says passing this bill will give real hope today to people on waiting lists and save lives.

Ms McCulloch says levels of organ donation are still low by European standards.

She says 90% of the general public back organ donation but only 32% are registered as organ donors.

MS McCulloch says we must ensure liberty and choice are protected and presumed consent does not take away choice.

Last November the Health Committee was told that parts of the medical profession are split over possible changes to organ donation. 

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh , external(RCPE) said its fellows had expressed mixed views about the Transplantation Bill. 

It would permit people to nominate a proxy to confirm their desire to donate and possibly overrule opposing family. 

The RCPE said in that situation clinicians could be placed in a difficult position. What was said at Holyrood's health committee? 

However, the British Heart Foundation (, externalBHF), the British Medical Association, external (BMA) Scotland and the Scottish Youth Parliament, external (SYP) have all come out strongly in favour of the bill. 

The BMA has also questioned why family members should be allowed to veto organ donations amid research showing nearly half refused when the wishes of the deceased were not known.