11/02/2010 - Labour university cuts means thousands miss out
Hull Lib Dem campaigner Denis Healy has called Labour university cuts which will force up to 230,000 young people to lose out on their place at university "a disaster".
Last December Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced a total cut of £400m in higher enducation funding, in both direct budget cuts and "efficiency savings". The university funding body HEFCE is announcing more details later.
Over 160,000 young people missed out on university places last year as they tried to stay in education to avoid the unemployment created by the recession. It is estimated this year up to 230,000 students could miss out on a place as universities are forced to cut admissions and fined for each place they offer above imposed limitations.
Denis Healy says:
"Funding cuts of this level are a disaster for students already struggling under a mountain of debt created by Labour's decision to introduce tuition fees."
"Now after punishing students by vastly increasing the cost of university, they are stopping young people aspiring to university by forcing universities to choose between cutting places or offering poorer standards. It seems Labour believe it's better to pay more for worse services"
"This will also have terrible knock-on effects for the struggling economy as many areas rely on students, without them businesses will lose money and houses will stand empty. In addition we will lose the talent of these bright young people, as they will be unable to gain the skills needed for Britain to stay a competative in the international economy."
"University cuts are not "inevitable", it is a matter of priorities, and froms it is clear Labour's priorities are not to encourage aspiration in young people, or to provide skilled workers for British businesses."
"We are lagging behind other western countries in our funding for higher education. Finland, Sweden, France, the US and Germany all spend a higher percentage of money on universities, compared to Britain that spends less than 1%. If we don't change our priorites, we will get left behind."
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