Topical Questions

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Innovation, Universities and Skills – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 26 June 2008.

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Photo of Ann McKechin Ann McKechin Labour, Glasgow North 10:30, 26 June 2008

As my hon. Friends will be aware, Scottish universities increasingly rely on English students to fill places on their courses, and those full-time students currently pay no council tax. The SNP minority Administration have proposed to introduce a local income tax, which Glasgow city council has estimated would have to be 5p in the pound to maintain existing services. Will the Secretary of State urgently raise the matter with the SNP Administration? The proposal would clearly have a very detrimental effect on English students considering Scottish universities for their higher education; I am thinking particularly of those who come from lower socio-economic backgrounds and rely on earnings during summer recesses to keep their studies going.