Results 1-6 of 6 for ("top up" fees) speaker:Malcolm Wicks

Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Employment: Higher Education (15 Mar 2001)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: ...billion. We are not certain where that money is to come from—I do not know whether it is in the Tory spending plans—but, clearly, logic suggests that it would be through the introduction of top-up fees. While we have a fair student finance system, they have to become the top-up Tories.

Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Employment: Skill Shortages (8 Jun 2000)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: ...student finance. Unlike the previous Government, who compromised quality and quantity by reducing unit costs, we are maintaining standards. We are funding the university sector. There will be no top-up fees, which we have legislated against. Such fees do not represent the right approach. The approach that we have outlined is the right way ahead.

Equal Opportunities in Britain (7 Jun 2000)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: ...of order; indeed, our policies are built on good old-fashioned values. I shall give way to the hon. Lady later. Many students and their parents have been worried by recent press reports about top-up fees. I am happy to reassure them that the Government's policy has not changed. Indeed, we have legislated to prevent universities from levying differential fees. We are monitoring the charges...

Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation (23 Mar 2000)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: I was enjoying the hon. Gentleman's thoughtful speech, but he is overdoing it a bit now. The Secretary of State has made it clear that we are opposed to top-up fees. We will support no policies that make it difficult for poorer students or students from middle-income families to gain access to our best universities. Our approach is based on fairness and equality. I want to make that...

Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Employment: Mature Students (17 Feb 2000)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: I welcome my hon. Friend's comments. I know of his interest in the matter. On top-up fees, the Government policy has not changed. The current system of student support is working well. Student numbers are up and more money is going into colleges and universities. The Government have announced an 11 per cent. real-terms boost for higher education funding in the current Parliament, but they...

Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Employment: Higher Education (28 Oct 1999)

Mr Malcolm Wicks: ...find suitable statistical mechanisms for targeting resources so as to achieve our goal of enabling every young person with ability to go to university. However, I repeat that we are totally against top-up fees because, by definition, they would favour only young people from richer families and would discriminate against those from poorer families. We do not want social class to be the...