The new Labour government’s imposition of VAT on independent school fees will be “pushed through quickly”, Scottish secretary Ian Murray has told the Daily Record.

Murray hinted that the tax would be included in the Autumn Budget and said he wants to see the funds raised spent in classrooms rather than filling a “black hole” in the government’s funds.

Murray acknowledged the policy would hurt parents who pay for private education without being wealthy saying: “I fully understand the concerns of parents who are right on the edge of that affordability, but this is a policy that’s coming in. It’s the right policy to have and if it’s invested in state education, which is what we want it to be, then it will improve our state education system.”

Lorraine Davidson, chief executive of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, said: “VAT on school fees will disrupt the education of children and place an added burden on the state sector which will have to cope with more pupils, many of whom have additional support needs.”