§ Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Education whether she is aware of the recent increase in tuition fees at Oxford Colleges; and whether, in view of the financial difficulties of scholarship students, she will take steps to increase the grants to State scholars.
§ Miss WilkinsonI am aware that one or two colleges at Oxford have increased their tuition fees. These fees are paid direct to the colleges by my Department on behalf of State scholars and increases are duly met. Apart from the payment of fees to the colleges, the grants made by my Department to State scholars provide for maintenance allowances according to need, which are based on standard figures of maintenance recommended to the Department by the various university scholarship committees. The rates are reviewed trienially and the last review was conducted earlier this year. No general alteration was recommended, but several committees suggested that the figures should be reconsidered early in 1946, and this review has already been set in motion.