free university

Nandi-Ndaitwah said free university education would be phased in gradually and that the only "contribution as families and students for now will be towards accommodation and other related costs".

These include free personal care for the elderly, free prescriptions and free university tuition.

First Minister John Swinney has ruled out cuts to universal benefits such as free university tuition and prescriptions.

He said Scotland had a “social contract”, with those with the “broadest shoulders” paying more in tax to fund universal access to free university tuition and prescriptions, as well as wider access to concessionary travel and childcare.

Scotland is the only UK nation to offer free university tuition to its home students.