ABOLITION OF TUITION FEES AND TOP-UP FEES

Early day motion 286, tabled 2 December 2004 by Lord Willis of Knaresborough (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 33 members.

That this House rejects the imposition of fees and top-up fees on students in higher education; notes that the Government's own research shows that the poorest students are those most affected by debt and therefore the most likely to be deterred from entering higher education; further notes that the average student debt levels have been increasing year on year and are predicted to significantly increase after the introduction of top-up fees; rejects alternative proposals to fund higher education through the introduction of commercial interest rates on student debts which would place a heavy burden on less affluent students who enter the public and voluntary sectors for their employment; further notes that all tuition fees have been abolished in Scotland for Scottish students and that bursaries for the least affluent students have been successfully introduced through a graduate levy; and calls on the Government to abolish all tuition fees for higher education and invest the equivalent income from a higher rate of tax on incomes over ú100,000.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 22, Labour 8, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.