BUMPER pay rises and bonuses pocketed by Scottish university principals have been condemned by politicians.

The SNP said the size of pay increases awarded to some university leaders were unacceptable and called for future restraint.

The attack comes after The Herald revealed a handful of university principals accepting above-inflation pay increases in 2013/14 despite cuts in public funding.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal of Strathclyde University, in Glasgow, is now by far the highest paid principal in Scotland after taking a seven per cent increase, which takes his annual salary to £334,000 a year.

The biggest increase in salary was the eight per cent awarded to Professor Stephen Chapman, the principal of Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, whose pay increased to £198,000.

And Professor Louise Richardson, the principal of St Andrews University, in Fife, also came under fire after pocketing a one off bonus of £30,000 - although the university highlighted the fact she has not had a pay rise for several years and has also donated £120,000 to a scholarship fund.

SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell, convener of the Scottish Parliament's education committee, said universities were a "great success story" for Scotland, but described the increases as "very disappointing".

He said: "At a time when many university staff are struggling to make ends meet as a result of Westminster-imposed austerity, for already highly-paid principals to take huge pay rises is simply unacceptable.

"While university principals across Scotland do a great job, the level of pay inequality between those at the top and those at the bottom is deeply unfair - a situation that will only be made worse by these inflation-busting pay rises for principals."

Liam McArthur, education spokesman for the Scottish Liberal Democrats, refused to condemn the latest increases, calling instead for institutions to demonstrate they were providing "value for money".

He said: "Our universities need to attract the best and brightest leaders if they are to successfully position themselves on the global stage, but this approach should complement and not undercut efforts to improve the student experience.

"With funding cuts continuing in both the higher education and further education sectors, institutions should demonstrate to students and taxpayers that they are delivering best value for money." The Scottish Labour Party declined to comment.

Following publication of the figures on Monday, student leaders and academic unions called for greater transparency over the way salary increases are decided by university renumeration committees. However, Universities Scotland, which represents principals, argued many university leaders had refused to accept pay rises.