26.03.2008

A report on university tuition fees by the UK Youth Parliament says that the Government is failing millions of young students from across the UK by making university too expensive to attend.

The report, launched at the Houses of Parliament today, highlights that over 80% of young people between the age of 15 to 18 believe the Government is not doing enough to make university financially accessible for young people and that one in three of those students who want to go to university said that they will not be able to afford to go. 

The report entitled “Uni fees – are they fair?”  summarises the views of 5850 respondents who completed a consultation questionnaire. 

James Greenhalgh, the member of UK Youth Parliament for East Staffordshire who has planned the launch event at the Houses of Parliament commented:

“I feel that access to higher education is a right of all British people, and I believe the current system is failing millions of young people from across the whole of the UK.

“If no fees have to be paid at Scottish Universities, then why can’t it be done over the border in England? It is unequal, unfair and an outrageous imbalance within the system, and I urge the Government and the MPs from all political parties to take on board these results, and not only listen to what we are saying as young people, but also act upon them and do the morally right thing: Make university free for all young people across the WHOLE of the UK.”

Findings within the report also reveal that over three quarters of those surveyed felt that students should not have to pay tuition fees and 97% felt that university should be made cheaper.

Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield commented:

“Many students are either deterred from going to university or suffer from financial hardship because of the student loan scheme. This is an issue which needs to be addressed and I hope the Government will not continue to maintain that all is well with the system.” 

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats commented on the report:

“Widening participation in Higher Education is so important in shaping Britain’s future. We must tackle the poverty of aspiration that means too many young people don’t even consider university as a realistic option in the first place.

“I want to build a fair and equal society in which everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential, instead of having their life shaped by the accident of their birth. Access to university should always be dependent on academic ability and never on personal background.”

Lynne Jones, Labour MP for Selly Oak Commented:
 
"When Labour came into government in 1997 we said we wanted to achieve 50% of young people in higher education by 2010. These participation rates would entail a significant increase in the number of entrants from ‘non-traditional’ or working-class backgrounds.   However, the latest figures show that the Government’s current funding model for Higher Education is not achieving the aim of expanding the base of young people from poorer backgrounds." 

The consultation will be delivered to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Number Ten later on today (Wednesday) and there are also further plans to hold a demonstration In London in the Summer, the handing in a petition to Downing Street and a massive national event in Birmingham.