Lib Dems' vow to students

LIBERAL Democrats are to promise abolition of the graduate endowment at next year's Holyrood elections.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Oct 2006, 01:00 BST

The 2200 payment which students must make after graduation was introduced as part of the deal between Labour and the Lib Dems to scrap tuition fees during the first Scottish Executive coalition.

But now Scottish Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen plans a manifesto pledge to abolish the payments, while maintaining the current system of bursaries and grants.

The proposal could cost up to 45 million and will be discussed at the party's one-day autumn conference in ten days' time.