Scottish Conservative Education Spokesman Liz Smith yesterday branded Labour's claim that they have met NUS Scotland’s three campaign demands as "unbelieveable".
“This is a phony pledge from Iain Gray and Labour," Ms Smith said. “On radio this morning, their finance spokesman said Labour was filling a £114 million gap in university funds.
"Yesterday, one of their former education spokesmen said the gap was £93 million. They are all over the place. But since the real gap is over £200 million pounds, Labour’s case is crumbling. There is not just a gap in their funding, there is a gap in their credibility.Their pretence that they can meet the NUS triple pledge is a fallacy. Labour’s sums don’t add up. Iain Gray is, quite literally, unbelievable.
“The Scottish Conservatives are the only Party to tell it like it is. We reject upfront tuition fees. We will protect student numbers and we will boost bursary support by £55 million a year.
“Labour’s dodgy arithmetic threatens thousands of university places being lost. It is time they told the truth.”
Ms Smith also commented on figures realeased yesterday by the Office for National Statistics which show that people with degrees earned an average of £12,000 a year more than non-graduates over the past decade.
Liz Smith said: “These statistics show that those who have gained a university degree are more likely to earn a higher yearly salary as a result of holding that qualification. They also highlight how Scottish Conservative proposals for a graduate contribution will make university funding more progressive and fair.
“If we are to maintain the high standards of our Universities, and ensure that we sustain current student numbers and continue to widen access we must secure an additional source of funding. It is only fair that graduates contribute to the cost of their degree.”
Ms Smith was joined by Scottish Conservative leader, Annabel Goldie, as she visited Perth. The Tory leader called for a Business Start Up Fund which will give real help to Scotland’s budding entrepreneurs.
“Scottish Conservatives have always valued the vital contribution of entrepreneurs and small business to our economy," Ms Goldie said, "That’s why in the most recent budget we secured £10m for business start ups, job creation and exporting which was part of a package which will create over 10,000 jobs. But we can do more.
“The rate of business start ups and entrepreneurial activity in Scotland has flatlined since the advent of devolution, at a rate lower than that of the UK overall. That is why we will create a Scottish Business Start Up Fund to support individuals access to enterprise education, vocational training, and to provide grants and loans to assist in the creation of new businesses. Over the next four years, this will have funding of £154 million to boost the economy.
“Scottish Conservatives are also committed to delivering a step change in enterprise education in Scotland. Research from the Hunter Centre suggests that enterprise education doubles the likelihood of an individual becoming an entrepreneur. We will achieve this by making it compulsory to offer enterprise training at all colleges and universities, in partnership with local businesses.
“It is common sense to put our faith in our entrepreneurs so we nurture new businesses, design new products and create new jobs. The only way to pull Scotland out of Labour’s debt legacy is to grow the private sector. That is where the jobs of the future will come from and that is what we are committed too.”
The Scottish Conservatives also intend to create a new dedicated cabinet-level Minister for Enterprise and Jobs, taking responsibility for enterprise, planning, transport and infrastructure. This post will replace the two existing junior ministerial posts.
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