Majority at Holyrood 'never part of the plan'

A KEY figure behind the formation of the Scottish Parliament has admitted those who created it never thought one party could win an overall majority.

Sir Andrew Cubie, who served on the steering group that set up Holyrood, praised the SNP for managing such a "remarkable achievement".

Writing in The Scotsman today, Sir Andrew says: "As one who served on the consultative steering group which set up the working arrangements of the embryonic Scottish Parliament, the majority held by one party, as now exists, was never fully contemplated."

He admitted having an overall majority gave Alex Salmond's ruling party more power to solve Scotland's problems.

He writes: "It seems to me, despite the challenges of financial constraints for the Scottish Government, there are areas where government can address areas of inequity more easily than in the compromise of coalition or minority."

The SNP swept to power earlier this month with an overall majority of four seats, now down to three after the election of Tricia Marwick to Presiding Officer. It was the first overall majority in the Scottish Parliament since it was reconvened in 1999.

Sir Andrew says the area in which the current Scottish Government can use this power most is in education.

The legal expert oversaw an eponymous review of higher education in 1999, which recommended the end of up-front tuition fees in Scotland. In today's Scotsman he calls on the SNP to end the inequity of part-time students having to pay fees while full-time students do not.

He writes: "This enormous group of students will wonder when this broad consensus that the 'democratic intellect' must be preserved by ensuring that access to higher education is based on ability to learn - rather than ability to pay - is going to be extended to them."