No fees for refugees

Vice-chancellors in Scotland have welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Executive that the children of asylum-seekers will not have to pay tuition fees.

Children of asylum-seekers who have been through the Scottish school system will be treated as home students for the purposes of entering higher education, the Executive confirmed.

David Caldwell, the director of Universities Scotland, said the decision "will give young asylum-seekers fairer access to university. Children of asylum seekers have made Scotland their home and can contribute to Scotland's economy, society and culture."