Patrick Harvie MSP
Dear Mhairi,
Thank you for your e-mail. Please be assured that the Green MSPs intend to hold the
Government to account for both its pledges on student finance and on funding for the
sector. We are currently examining possible amendments to the budget to allow further
funding for Universities and will also look at the best deal for students in any legislation to abolish the graduate endowment.
The Green MSPs believe that student debt has reached unacceptable levels and our
manifesto commitment is such that we support the scrapping of the graduate endowment and
bringing back student grants. While the current budget proposals are far from what the
SNP promised – it is clear that much of this was impossible to deliver whilst maintaining other priorities that the SNP have set out (such as the zero rise in Council Tax).
I hope to be able to help Universities and students as much as possible in the forthcoming period.
Yours sincerely,
Patrick Harvie MSP