§ Baroness Jegerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their proposals for reducing tuition fees for full-time and for part-time undergraduates.
§ Lord EltonUniversities determine their own fees in the light of national recommendations, as do public sector institutions acting in conjunction, where appropriate, with their local education authorities.
For full-time home undergraduates my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has recommended that the fee should be reduced from £900 in 1981–82 to £480 in 1982–83 with a corresponding increase in the provision of grant to institutions. I understand that no reduction in fees for part-time courses is envisaged by the Open University or by the UGC and other bodies responsible for recommending part-time fees. The fees cost of taking a first degree by part-time study will still be substantially lower than by full-time study.