Swinney: 'Trust' local communities to make own decisions
EU students in Scotland to pay no fees in 2017/18
(about 7 hours later)
The Scottish government wants to trust local communities with making "the big decisions about their own future", John Swinney is to tell the SNP conference.
Scotland's Education Secretary John Swinney has told the SNP conference that students from EU countries will have to pay no fees in 2017/18.
The deputy first minister and education secretary is to address the second day of the party's gathering in Glasgow.
In July the minister said there would be no change to funding in 2016/17.
Mr Swinney is to say the SNP will "put the national interest first" by devolving more power to a local level.
Guarantees were being sought by students after the UK voted to leave the European Union.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opened the conference with a speech on Brexit and Scottish independence.
Mr Swinney also urged the UK government to "guarantee their [students] right to stay here during their studies and work here after their studies".
Some 3,000 delegates have signed up for the conference at the SECC.
He announced the funding pledge during his keynote address to the Glasgow conference, attended by 3,000 delegates.
Mr Swinney is expected to pledge to "go further" with the devolution of local decision-making in the new session of the Scottish parliament.
The MSP said: "We have already confirmed tuition fee funding to support EU students studying here, or preparing to start this year.
Speaking ahead of his speech, he told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We have a fantastic opportunity in Scotland - particularly in the post referendum climate - to engage and motivate community solutions to the challenges that we face as a country.
"Now, we will extend that guarantee to those starting next year in 2017/18.
"We want to fulfil our manifesto commitment to engage in the local democratisation of Scotland and the empowerment of our communities."
"And, unlike Labour and the Tories, that's tuition-free education we are guaranteeing - not the massive fees they impose on students wherever they come from."
Health boards
He added: "We will guarantee their funding. But what I demand is that the Tory-Brexit government guarantee their right to stay here during the studies and work here after their studies.
Mr Swinney is expected to tell the conference later that the Scottish government believes communities have the ability to take power into their own hands.
"They are not cards to be played. They are human beings."
He will also say: "We want to re-invigorate local government by reconnecting it with communities. The principle of local control, not on behalf of a community, but by a community, is key.
"We have already launched a review of how school education is governed, setting ourselves the task of making parents and teachers the key decision-makers in the life of our schools.
"We will review the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, and we will look again at the relationships between local authorities and health boards.
"We aim to achieve nothing less than to transform our democratic landscape, protect and renew public services and refresh the relationship between citizens, communities and councils."
Elsewhere at the conference, delegates will debate resolutions on topics including litter, welfare powers devolved to the Scottish parliament, and rural education.
'Seek to remain in Europe'
After Ms Sturgeon told delegates that she will publish a consultation on a draft independence referendum bill, the conference will consider another resolution focused on Brexit and independence.
Friday's debate features a motion calling on conference to note "disappointment" with the result of the EU referendum, calling for "every avenue" to be explored "to keep Scotland in the EU".
It continues that "if no viable solution to safeguard our membership as part of the UK exists, Scotland should prepare for a second independence referendum and seek to remain in Europe as an independent country."
