Smith: Ludicrous FMQ squabbling over higher education funding doesn’t help anyone

At First Minister's Questions today Alex Salmond and Iain Gray clashed on the issue of higher education funding - but neither man was prepared to tell anyone what their parties would actually do to address the issue.

Liz Smith MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning, said:

"What we saw today was ludicrous squabbling between Salmond and Gray. Both said that the other had no proposals to deal with higher education funding, but then refused to reveal their own plans. Later on, when I asked about the issue in my own question, all I got from the First Minister was further bluster. What an absolute joke.

"Both the SNP and Labour have been slow to act and both are devoid of any ideas about how to ensure the financial future of universities and students in Scotland against a widening funding gap between England and Scotland.

"Scottish Conservatives put our cards on the table early on as we accept changes have to be made. Frankly, Mike Russell's Green Paper is too little too late because we need action now. Scottish problems require Scottish solutions but both Labour and the SNP are cowering in fear, hoping the problem will go away. It won't and they need to realise that."

Scottish Conservatives reject up-front fees, and we reject a pure graduate tax. We accept there is going to have to be a graduate contribution, repayable from future earnings and at an affordable rate.

Liz Smith MSP will submit a paper to the other parties before the summit on November 14th 2010, in the hope that they will at long last engage in the debate and say what their solution is.

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