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| No fees for EU students starting 2017/18 courses in Scotland | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Scotland's Education Secretary John Swinney has told the SNP conference that students from EU countries starting in 2017/18 would pay no fees. | |
| In July the minister said there would be no change to funding in 2016/17. | In July the minister said there would be no change to funding in 2016/17. |
| Guarantees were being sought by students after the UK voted to leave the European Union. | Guarantees were being sought by students after the UK voted to leave the European Union. |
| Mr Swinney also urged the UK government to "guarantee their [students] right to stay here during their studies and work here after their studies". | Mr Swinney also urged the UK government to "guarantee their [students] right to stay here during their studies and work here after their studies". |
| He announced the funding pledge during his keynote address to the Glasgow conference, attended by 3,000 delegates. | He announced the funding pledge during his keynote address to the Glasgow conference, attended by 3,000 delegates. |
| The MSP said: "We have already confirmed tuition fee funding to support EU students studying here, or preparing to start this year. | The MSP said: "We have already confirmed tuition fee funding to support EU students studying here, or preparing to start this year. |
| "Now, we will extend that guarantee to those starting next year in 2017/18. | "Now, we will extend that guarantee to those starting next year in 2017/18. |
| "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." | "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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| "They are not cards to be played. They are human beings." | "They are not cards to be played. They are human beings." |
| Education was a strong theme in Mr Swinney's speech. | |
| He said his task to "close the attainment gap for our poorest pupils" was simple. | |
| Mr Swinney added: "And our ambition is equally straightforward: we will make significant progress in closing the gap within the next parliament and substantially eliminate it within a decade. | |
| "It may be a simple objective. It may be a straightforward aim. But it will not be easy. We do not underestimate the scale of our ambition." | |
| 'Democratic landscape' | |
| He also spoke about the desire to "re-invigorate local government" by "reconnecting it with communities". | |
| A review is already under way on the role of councils in the delivery of education. | |
| Mr Swinney will now review the relationships between local authorities and health boards. | |
| He said: "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." | |
| "We do this not because it is radical - and it is - but because we believe it is right. | |
| "We do it not because it is easy - it's not - but because it is in the national interest. | |
| "We believe that national interest lies in placing power in the people of this country's hands. It is why I believe in independence." |