Commenting on the announcement from the Scottish Government about how it would like to spend £30 million on grants and loans for students, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Margaret Smith MSP said:

“Instead of dumping the debt, the SNP dumped students. When they abandoned that promise it was the biggest betrayal of students for a generation. However the SNP decide to spend this £30 million, the fact remains that it’s nowhere near the original £2 billion that was promised.

“I have been making the argument for extra support to help students manage the financial burden of childcare, so I welcome the £2 million investment.

“We’ve long championed the idea of having a minimum income guarantee of £7,000 for students. The proposals in this document fall far short of that.

“We all know that the devil is in the detail with the SNP. That’s why we will take time to study these proposals and will have further meetings to find a better deal for Scotland’s students.”

Ends.