Clause 23 - Condition that may be required to be imposed by English funding bodies
Higher Education Bill
9:10 am
Mr David Chaytor (Bury North, Labour)
I understand the point completely. There are two issues that we have to consider. First, that point would have been valid had there been no system of student support in place. I certainly could not support either the raising of the fee, or the introduction of variable fees unless there was a package of student support. The point would have been valid had the Government not announced the reintroduction of the grant or the requirement on universities to provide their own bursaries and had the Government not encouraged universities, through the institution of the office for fair access, to develop much larger bursaries.
Cambridge was the first to propose a bursary of £4,000. Without betraying any confidences, I know that my hon. Friend is concerned that the sheer amount of money now circulating in bursaries might give some students too much. The deterrent effect, which is my second point, is not valid given the reintroduction of the grant. The huge and unprecedented expansion of university bursaries is entirely the result of determination and pressure by the Government and the creation of OFFA.