Higher Education Bill

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Mr. Willis: May I put the Under-Secretary right on one thing? Where an amendment would extend students' right to a complaints system, it can hardly be classed as being for the producer interest. I hope that he will take his homework away and realise that there is a difference between the two.

If the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) thinks that increasing the market in higher education by introducing costs into it does not in fact accelerate the move to a market system in higher education, he needs to think again. For the record, I abhor the fact that for the 30-odd years that I have been in teaching—working with youngsters from poor backgrounds—those youngsters have not been able to access higher education because of an unofficial market. I would like to do something about that, not make it worse.

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Returning to the amendment, it is convenient for the Conservatives to misread the letter from the Association of Colleges. It is also wrong that the Under-Secretary does not recognise that both NATHFE and the Association of University Teachers, who work directly with students, support the amendments. If we are going to have a balanced argument, we should not consider the issue purely from the view of college principals and vice-chancellors. The debate on the Bill has all been about what vice-chancellors want, not about what students want.

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However, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause 11 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Further consideration adjourned.—[Mr. Twigg.]

Adjourned accordingly at seven minutes past Five o'clock till Thursday 12 February at ten minutes past Nine o'clock.

The following Members attended the Committee:

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Hood, Mr. Jimmy (Chairman)
Allen, Mr.
Boswell, Mr.
Campbell, Mrs.
Chaytor, Mr.
Clappison, Mr.
Collins, Mr.
Foster, Mr.
Francis, Dr.
Francois, Mr.
Grayling, Chris
Hall, Mr.
Johnson, Alan
Laing, Mrs.
Laxton, Mr.
Lewis, Mr.
Mountford, Kali
Mudie, Mr.
Plaskitt, Mr.
Purnell, James
Rendel, Mr.
Shaw, Jonathan
Thomas, Mr.
Touhig, Mr.
Twigg, Derek
Willis, Mr.

 

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Prepared 10 February 2004