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![]() Friday, May 14, 1999 Published at 17:11 GMT 18:11 UK ![]() ![]() UK Politics ![]() Scottish coalition deal unveiled ![]() It's all write now: The two leaders sign the coalition document ![]() Details have been revealed of the Scottish Parliament coalition deal but the agreement is already embroiled in controversy.
It also gives the Lib Dems another seat in the executive (Cabinet). Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Mr Dewar said the agreement was based on "collective responsibility".
Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond, MSP, accused Mr Wallace of "selling out for a deputy's badge". He said the coalition agreement was simply a reprint of Labour's manifesto.
But Mr Wallace denied selling out his party. "We have maintained our policies, we have maintained our principles.
Fourteen of the 17 Liberal Democrat MSPs backed the agreement after what has been described as a "bruising" four-hour meeting in Edinburgh. Earlier, Labour MSPs had endorsed the deal. 'Traumatic' meeting BBC Scotland's political correspondent Kenny MacIntyre said it had been a "traumatic" meeting in which one MSP had threatened to quit the party and become an independent.
Lib Dem MSP Donald Gorrie, who with Keith Raffan and John Farquhar-Munro voted against the deal, said: "We have been assured there is a free vote on tuition fees." Mr Dewar said individuals would be able to submit their views to the review body set up by the executive but that a final decision would be taken on the basis of collective responsibility. This was backed up by Mr Wallace: "It is our expectation that we will be able to find the basis for a collective decision which we will be able to recommend to our parties in parliament." Abolition commitment He stressed that the party was still committed to the abolition of tuition fees.
He said: "There is going to be a genuine investigation. The Committee of Vice-chancellors, the Association of University Teachers, the National Union of Students and a very substantial number of very distinguished academics have said it would be counter-productive and quite wrong simply to abolish tuition fees. "This is a complex matter and all the options will be considered before we move. That is absolutely right and it is what a thinking parliament wants to do." Labour is the only party in the parliament against scrapping fees - a move which it previously said would throw the education system into chaos. Fees 'outside agreement'
On finance, the agreement states: "We will not use the tax-varying power in the course of the first parliament." Previously the Lib Dems said they would be prepared to use the powers in the first term under certain circumstances. It includes a freeze on Skye Bridge tolls, an issue which has proved highly contentious in the Highlands. It will also mean an extra £80m for education. Labour has moved on the Private Finance Initiative, saying it will continue the principle but look at ways of returning capital projects to the public sector at the end of the contract period.
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