HL Deb 12 July 1979 vol 401 cc1124-5WA
Baroness VICKERS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware of the dismay of the poorer developing countries of the Commonwealth at the very large (33 per cent.) increase in overseas students' fees next year; and what steps are they taking to revise the Fee Support Scheme to meet this new situation.

Baroness YOUNG

My right honourable and learned friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science regrets the necessity for increasing tuition fees for overseas students for 1979–80 at this stage, but this was one of the measures to be taken as part of the Budget proposals to reduce public expenditure. The real increase is 22 per cent., the earlier increase of 9 per cent. being required simply to maintain fees at their existing level in real terms. The future of the Fee Support Scheme will be considered, with other schemes of overseas aid for which my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary is responsible, in the context of the current review of public expenditure.

Baroness VICKERS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) Whether they are aware of the serious dislocation to admissions procedures of teaching institutions caused by the recent decision, taken so late in the academic year, to increase overseas students' fees for next year by a third instead of the previously announced 9 per cent.; and
  2. (b) What arrangements they are making to investigate acute hardship likely to be incurred by overseas students in mid-course by the very large 33 per cent. increase in their fees 1979–80 announced so late in the academic year.

Baroness YOUNG

My right honourable and learned friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science regrets any inconvenience caused by the recent announcement of increased fees for overseas students in 1979–80, but the decision and timing of it were determined by the requirements of Government policy on public expenditure. To reduce hardship caused by these increases provision of some £500,000 for the rest of this financial year (some £800,000 for the full academic year 1979–80) is being made so that institutions can offer some assistance to individual cases.