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12 May 2010

Liberal Democrats hand future of university funding to Conservatives


The university think-tank million+ has today questioned the Liberal Democrats’ decision to hand over the future of university fees and funding to the Conservatives in the event of a disagreement between the new Government’s coalition partners. Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of million+ said: “The Liberal Democrats made a clear election pledge that tuition fees for full-time and part-time students would be abolished. Liberal Democrat MPs and voters may well be disappointed that this has been scrapped as part of the coalition negotiations. However, the coalition agreement that the Liberal Democrats should abstain on any proposals tabled in the House of Commons following Lord Browne’s review of fees which they dislike, would deliver a Conservative majority for tuition fee and university funding reform. The new Business Secretary, Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, must now reassure students and universities that the new Government will support a fair funding package and that Liberal Democrat MPs will be able to vote in the House of Commons to support social mobility, participation and a unified system of student support.

“The coalition agreement is also silent on the future of the 20,000 additional student places which were fully funded in the 2010 budget. More applications than ever before have been received from students hoping to go to university in September. The greatest risk in the rush for places is to widening participation students many of whom traditionally present later in the year and in clearing. The new Government must now make a firm commitment to fully funding these 20,000 places and the life-changing opportunities which they offer.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  1. million+ is a leading university think-tank, working to solve the complex problems in higher education www.millionplus.ac.uk
  2. For more information, comment or interviews from million+ please contact Victoria Mills on 020 7717 1659 or 07900 277819
  3. The Higher Education section of coalition document reads:

We await Lord Browne’s final report into higher education funding, and will judge its proposals against the need to:

· increase social mobility;

· take into account the impact on student debt;

· ensure a properly funded university sector;

· improve the quality of teaching;

· advance scholarship; and,

· attract a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If the response of the Government to Lord Browne’s report is one that Liberal Democrats cannot accept, then arrangements will be made to enable Liberal Democrat MPs to abstain in any vote.