§ Mr. AustinTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the extent of non-payment of student tuition fees at universities in England and Wales during the current year; and if he will make a statement. [75960]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 15 March 1999]: The collection of fees is a matter for universities. In this, the first year of the new funding regime for higher education, only first year students will be subject to the new arrangements. Of these, we estimate around a third of students, from lower income families, will not be expected to contribute anything towards the costs of their tuition, and from those students who will be asked to contribute, universities and colleges in England and Wales are expected to receive income of £130 million and £8 million respectively.