David Willetts

Responding to John Denham’s annual grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary, David Willetts said:

“Back in 1999, Labour promised to send half of all young people to university by 2010. They have been way off this target for some time and currently fewer than 40 per cent of young people make it to higher education.

“Now the Government have set out new lower figures for the number of extra students that will be allowed between now and 2010/11. The total number of additional places is half what it was. So it is now impossible for them to get anywhere near their 50 per cent target.

“These figures will come as a shock to sixth formers taking A-Levels and diplomas, to people who want to upskill during the recession and to employers needing higher skills. We cannot hope to emerge from the recession in a competitive state until there is a clearer strategy for higher-level skills.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. In the 2008 annual grant letter, John Denham said the Government’s original plan to finance 40,000 new student places between 2008/9 and 2010/11 was ‘not one that would have been an adequate response to global challenges.’ (Annual grant letter to Hefce, 18 January 2008)

2. Consequently, Hefce wrote to Vice-Chancellors in March 2008 to promise ‘the allocation of approximately 60,000 fully-funded full-time equivalent students (FTEs) over the period until 2011.’ (Letter from Hefce to higher education institutions, 20 March 2008)

3. But, in the 2009 grant letter, the 60,000 has been reduced to 30,000 - lower even than the original plan that John Denham described as insufficient to meet the global challenges. (Annual grant letter to Hefce, 22 January 2009) The DIUS press release states: ‘there will be 30,000 more funded students than in 2007/08.’ (DIUS press release, 22 January 2009)

4. In August 2008, John Denham told the Financial Times, ‘we’re absolutely committed to our 50 per cent target’ (FT, 11 August 2008).