HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc562-4W
Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research he has collated on the impact of variable fees on social access to university medical places in(a) the United States, (b) Canada and (c) Australia. [137213]

Alan Johnson

We are aware of research on the impact of variable fees on social access to a range of university courses in Australia and Canada. I have placed copies of a number of pieces of research in the House Library.

With regard to access to medical places in this country under the proposed variable fees system, we do not anticipate that there will be any significant effect on applications to medical courses. Applications to medical schools in the UK have gone up since 1988, as have the total number of students studying medical courses. However, Department of Health Ministers have made it clear that they will, if necessary, take measures to ensure that any increase in the level of tuition fees will not have an adverse impact on the supply, retention, diversity or quality of students undertaking medical training.

Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates his Department has made of the demand for places on medical courses if students are charged the maximum tuition fee per year. [137215]

Alan Johnson

We do not anticipate any significant impact on demand for medical courses after the introduction of variable fees. The Department of Health will, however, be monitoring demand for, and take-up of, medical courses. Department of Health Ministers have made it clear that they will, if necessary, take measures to ensure that any increase in the level of tuition fees will not have an adverse impact on the supply, retention, diversity or quality of students on health professional courses, including medicine.

Since the introduction of tuition fees in 1998, demand for places on medical courses has continued to outstrip significantly the number of places, despite an increase in the number of places available. Between 1999 and 2001, plans for some 2,250 more medical school places in the UK were announced. As a result of the extra investment, the number of students entering medical school will increase to over 7,300 in 2005. The number of UK applicants to study medicine at UK universities is also at its highest since 1986 (the earliest year for which data are available).

As I said on 6 November in response to an earlier question from my hon. Friend, I have placed in the House Library copies of a number of pieces of international research on the impact on social access to a range of university courses.

Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the responses to the Higher Education White Paper(a) were supportive (b) had reservations about and (c) were opposed to variable fees. [137299]

Alan Johnson

I refer my hon. Friend to the Government's response to the consultation on the Higher Education White Paper that was placed on the website of the Department for Education and Skills on 28 July 2003. An electronic copy of all the responses was also placed in the House Library.

Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will place in the Library copies of the evidence collated from overseas on the impact of variable tuition fees on social access to medical courses. [137570]

Alan Johnson

I have placed in the House Library copies of a number of documents containing evidence from Canada and Australia on the impact of variable fees on social access to a range of university courses.

I will also place in the House Library a copy of a piece of research from New Zealand which also contains evidence on this matter.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the cost to a student of financing up-front payment of a £3,000 student tuition fee over the anticipated period of repayment. [138532]

Alan Johnson

The Government has proposed that students who choose to defer payment of their tuition fees until after they have graduated will repay their fee loans at zero real rate of interest. A graduate will, therefore, repay the same amount, in real terms, as he or she borrowed initially.

Mr. Keith Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of tuition fees he intends that each university should pay out in bursaries to students from low-income families; and what definition of a low-income family he will use for this purpose. [138716]

Alan Johnson

We are considering and discussing the contents of access agreements and the duties of the Office for Fair Access, and will make a statement in due course.

Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 12 November 2003,Official Report, columns 354–5W, on tuition fees, if he will give the column reference and name of the honourable Member who put the question he answered on 6 November in respect of international research on social access and higher education. [139408]

Alan Johnson

The answer to question 137214 was intended to refer to question number 137213, tabled by the hon. Member himself for answer on 6 November. Due to an administrative error PQ 137213 had not been answered by the time the reply to 137214 was tabled. The information referred to has been placed in the Libraries.