Higher tuition fees could see 36,000 university places put at risk, warns Miliband

Wed, 20 Apr 2011

Labour leader Ed Miliband has warned that the government's introduction of higher tuition fees could see up to 36,000 students miss out on a university place.

He claims that, with many more universities opting to charge the maximum of £9,000 in tuition fees, ministers may have to cut university places to make up for a funding shortfall of nearly half a billion pounds.

Analysis by Labour showed that 70  per cent of universities which have declared their fees for next September are planning to charge the maximum £9,000.

Based on House of Commons library figures, the party said average fees of £8,500 could create a funding shortfall of up to £450 million by 2014/15.

"Not only do [students] face being burdened by vast debts but, to compensate for the money lost by their incompetence, Vince Cable admits he may now cut university places, said Mr Miliband.

"Filling a hole of half a billion pounds by cutting university places could mean over 30,000 fewer young people going to university ."

This week, Hull and Lincoln universities announced they intend to charge the maximum £9,000 in tuition fees.
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