Alex Salmond is planning to put continued free higher education at the centre of the SNP's election campaign next year with a high-risk pledge to rule out any form of student or graduate charges.

 

The promise that the state will continue to pick up the bill for degrees in Scotland is in sharp contrast to the explosive mix of cuts and tuition fees being imposed south of the Border.

The Sunday Herald understands that the First Minister's election offer to keep higher education free for Scottish students is designed to woo younger voters and create dividing lines between the SNP and other parties at Holyrood.

At the 2007 election, the SNP promised to write-off almost £2 billion of debt accumulated by Scots in student loans, but then dropped the idea in office when it proved impossible.

Finance Secretary John Swinney, who would have to find the money for universities, is believed to be the cabinet minister asking the most questions about the free higher education plan.

Salmond's own Council of Economic Advisers also came out last week in favour of graduates making "deferred payments" towards their degrees.

Education Secretary Mike Russell will this week publish the Government's 60-page Green Paper on higher education setting out options for the funding of universities and colleges, including continued free education, graduate contributions, and charging English students more to study in scotland.

The Sunday Herald understands the paper is part of an SNP strategy to draw the opposition parties into declaring their preference for payments towards degrees ahead of the elections in May.

Salmond said at an SNP National Council meeting in Perth yesterday: "Labour MPs for all their huffing and puffing could not stop tuition fees. With power over education we can preserve a high quality Scottish system based on ability to learn, not ability to pay."

Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tories' deputy leader, said: "The SNP is failing higher education by keeping its head in the sand on the funding issue, while at least Westminster is tackling it. They have duty to face up to the real world and set out just what they really plan to do."