§ 15. Mr. James Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals she has for increasing charges to students in further education establishments; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeA circular on tuition fees in further education establishments is shortly to be issued from the Department.
§ Mr. HamiltonWill the hon. Gentleman now assure the House that there will be no increase in these fees, bearing in mind that in the main the students who take advantage of further education are a deprived section of the community? On that basis, will the hon. Gentleman also take into consideration that they are performing a very useful function in education? Will the Government now give us a straightforward answer and assure us that there is no possible chance of 1884 their interfering with this very useful provision?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI will give an absolutely straightforward answer: yes, there will be some increase according to the discretion of the local education authority concerned. That was clear from the moment of publication of the White Paper by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will keep the matter in perspective. Net expenditure—I am now talking about after fees have been paid—in 1972–73 will be running at £266 million. That is the background against which to set a request for savings amounting to £5 million.