§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what administrative arrangements he plans to implement for the introduction of contributions towards tuition fees for higher education. [30431]
§ Dr. HowellsFrom 1998–99, most new entrants to full-time higher education will be eligible for assistance with their contribution to tuition fees if they are from a lower income family. The amount of assistance from public funds will be assessed by the student's local education authority in accordance with regulations which will be laid before Parliament in due course. The assessed amount will be paid direct to the student's institution in due course. Where the applicant is an EU national seeking assistance with fees only, the Department will assist his authority in making the assessment in 1998–99 and from 1999/2000 will be directly responsible for providing assistance in accordance with regulations to be laid in due course.
The student will pay the balance of the contribution to fees, if any, personally to the institution. It will be for institutions themselves to decide on the arrangements for collecting private contributions from students. I have no doubt that universities and colleges will want to ensure that students are not prevented from taking up a place because they are unable to pay the full fee in a single lump sum; for example, by taking account of individual students' circumstances in allowing the fee to be paid in more than one instalment.
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