Parmjit holds tuition fee debate in Parliament (Leicester City Liberal Democrats)

Leicester City Liberal Democrats <joan.garrity@leicester-libdems.org.uk>

Parmjit holds tuition fee debate in Parliament

January 28, 2005 5:38 PM

Parmjit Singh Gill MP and some students in his constituency

Parmjit held a debate in Parliament about student finance

This week Parmjit Singh Gill MP, Member of Parliament for Leicester South, held an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on University Tuition and top-up fees. Responding for the Government was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Derek Twigg MP. Highlighted, were the growing concerns of students from both the University of Leicester and De Montfort about their increasing debt burden. Despite repeated proposals for the Minister to meet with a delegation of students from Leicester to hear their concerns directly, the Minister claimed the proposal was 'not viable'.

Students in Leicester:

1. There are approximately 40,000 students in Leicester.

2. Two Universities. University of Leicester and De Montford University.

3. The student population makes up approximately 14% of the population.

This topic for debate was urgently called for due to evidence showing:

* Those facing rising levels of debt are more likely to suffer anxiety (74%) and depression (32%) compared to other students.

* In some parliamentary constituencies fewer than one in ten young people enter higher education whereas in others more than half do so.

* Two thirds of medical students are from managerial or professional white-collar backgrounds, compared with only 10 per cent from skilled trade, semi-skilled or unskilled occupational backgrounds.

Commenting, Parmjit said;

"These findings are deeply worrying and will be of great concern to many young people who are considering going to university.

"It's clear that many students start with a passion for knowledge and end up with the burden of debt.

"I hope the Minister will reconsider his decision not to meet with a delegation of students from Leicester who wish to voice their concerns directly."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. An adjournment debate is when an MP can bring to attention any issue they want to the attention of the Government and have an oral response by a Minister. MPs are allocated adjournment debates by a ballot.

2. A full copy of Parmjit Singh Gill's speech can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm050126/debtext/50126-38.htm#50126-38_spnew2