Financial support for students is not an issue discussed in public as the debate around access to higher education focuses on tuition fees.

That’s why Scottish Labour used its debating time in Holyrood to talk about a new social contract for students that would offer a minimum student income. Under the SNP, student debt has risen by 169 per cent, despite pledges to scrap student debt in 2007.

Bursaries for the poorest students were cut in 2013 by almost £900 and they remain £600 lower today than they were pre-2013. This has led more students to use loans, resulting in high student debt levels.

Scottish Labour supports free tuition and that will remain the case as we call for a minimum student income of £8,600, tied to the real living wage.

During the debate, I called for consensus to create parity between the higher education and further education sectors and to create a fairer society with students not leaving college or university with huge debts.

Parliament backed Labour’s motion and we demanded the Scottish Government came back with a timetable to implement the will of parliament.

The proposal for a New Social Contract comes from an independent review of student support, initiated by the SNP and reported in 2017.

Labour supported the recommendations, however, the SNP watered down its response and ignored calls for a Minimum Student Income.

As well as calling for this radical reform of student support, Labour also proposes a real living wage of £10 per hour and reforming the private rented sector. I believe these policies will deliver a better future for young people.

Last week a report by the Accounts Commission revealed the legacy of SNP cuts to councils. The report shows not only a real-terms cuts to councils since 2013 but also that councils have less control over spending.

There is a growing gap between demand and what councils can deliver. I believe that this damages local democracy.

Cuts by the Scottish Government create difficult choices for every council.

New analysis by the Resolution Foundation predicts that child poverty in Scotland will reach a 20-year high in the next four years.

Labour halved child poverty – it is sad to see the Tories and SNP oversee an increase. We need an end to austerity.