§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the cost of her decision to pay to parents with children at Oxford and Cambridge a subsidy averaging £1,000 without a means test in the next academic year; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. OakesMy right hon. Friend has made no such decision. For holders of mandatory awards following degree courses, university and college tuition fees have always formed part of the award. Since the academic year 1977–78, these fees have been paid without regard to parental income. In the case of fees at the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, my Department has agreed 247W with representatives of the colleges a procedure for regulating the amount of public funds paid as fees to the colleges, and this procedure takes effect from the academic year 1978–79. If the parental contribution were applied to these college fees, it is estimated that parents would have to pay £2.5 million.