HC Deb 26 June 2003 vol 407 cc1185-6
4. Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

When he proposes to announce his response to the consultation on the White Paper on higher education. [121697]

The Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education (Alan Johnson)

We have received a large number of comments on the Government's higher education proposals. We shall publish a summary of these shortly.

Paul Farrelly

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. We will certainly look forward to seeing the response in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Given that consultation on the White Paper ended on 30 April, which is some time ago, and as the Government's response in this week's debates was tantamount to a restatement of the whole document, what are the prospects of any changes in policy to meet the concerns that have been expressed?

Alan Johnson

My hon. Friend was a very important contributor to one of those debates. Of course, we were debating one party's policy to contract higher education and reduce opportunities for youngsters from working-class backgrounds to enter university, and the policy of another party that agrees that extra funding is needed, but denies that there should be any contribution whatever from graduates.

We had a huge number of replies in the consultation. We received 800 replies from interested parties and a further 1,000 responses as we went around the country speaking to principals in higher education and others. We will consider those responses very carefully. We will then publish our result and, as always, listen to what hon. Members in all parts of the House, but particularly on the Labour Benches, have to say about the issue.

Mr. Tim Boswell (Daventry)

Given that the Secretary of State has just admitted that the Government, for all their rhetoric, have not to date made any advances in terms of the participation of disadvantaged students, which does the Minister think will have the greater effect on such participation—the aimhigher scheme or the imposition of top-up fees?

Alan Johnson

Let me say to my hon. Friend—[Interruption.] I am sorry, it is the Johnson and Boswell thing, I am afraid. Let me say to the hon. Gentleman that there has been no change in this regard for 40 years. When the Robbins report was produced in 1962, it decided that moving to a system of grant-maintained higher education would narrow the gap. It did not do so, and neither, incidentally—this is an important point for the Conservative party—did the introduction of tuition fees do anything to worsen that gap. The gap has stayed stubbornly and obscenely in place over the past 40 years. How do we address that?

I should correct a mistake that I made in yesterday's debate, when I said that the Office for Fair Access would not deal with access. Of course, what I meant was that OFFA will have nothing to do with admissions, which will be for the universities. OFFA will look at access and look to ensure that we redouble our efforts through programmes such as outreach and other programmes that hon. Members have mentioned are taking place in their constituencies in order to encourage aspiration and then attainment among youngsters. The way of not assisting the situation would be to withdraw £193 million of funds that now go specifically to resolving this problem, which is what the Opposition wish to do.

Mrs. Louise Ellman Liverpool, Riverside)

What observations has my hon. Friend received on the 50 per cent. target that the Government have set for those reaching higher education? Does he envisage an increasingly diverse higher and further education sector in which the acquisition of skills is seen to be as important as academic qualifications?

Alan Johnson

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That issue is a central part of our White Paper. There are two aspects to it. First, the response to the consultation, both from the sector itself and from the business community, has been very positive in respect of people in higher education. The business community recognises that if we are to keep pace with our competitors, eight out of 10 of the 1.7 million jobs that are to be created over the next decade will require graduates to fill them.

Secondly, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has said on countless occasions, the growth will come mainly from two-year foundation degrees that are vocational. We must expand that area to ensure that we not only meet the needs of this country, but, as my hon. Friend the Member for Rochdale (Mrs. Fitzsimons) said, give people a life-enhancing experience.