David Willetts

Responding to the annual report on access to university from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, David Willetts said:

“The Government’s record on broadening access to university is very poor. The proportion of young men going to university is falling, and it remains very hard for people from poorer backgrounds to reach university.

“Among the poorest students, 13,000 do not get the bursaries they are entitled to, more than last year. Universities are trying to increase take-up, but the whole system remains too complicated. Yet again, the Government’s application form has been the main factor in stopping thousands of the poorest students from applying for bursaries.

“If we are to broaden university access, then ministers must make sure their student finance review starts now. They should get on with it because, as things stand, the cuts to maintenance grants mean students will be less well off next year.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Office for Fair Access publishes Access agreement monitoring: Outcomes for 2007-08, at 00.01 on Thursday, 26 March 2009 (www.offa.org.uk).

2. The report shows that 13,000 students in the lowest income group have not received a bursary. This is 1,000 higher than last year. The high figure for the number of students not taking up their entitlement stems largely from the Government-designed application form. (HEPI, Financial support in English universities: the case for a national bursary scheme, September 2008)

3. From academic year 2008/09, the Government is cutting, or removing altogether, student maintenance grants for students from households on incomes of between £25,000 and £60,032.

4. Despite Labour’s target of having half of young people in university by 2010, the participation rate for 17 to 30-year-olds has scarcely moved - in the 2006/07 academic year, it was 39.8 per cent, up from 39.2 per cent in 1999 (when the dataset began). The proportion of young men studying for a degree fell to 34.8 per cent from 37.1 per cent (DIUS, Participation rates in Higher Education: Academic years 1999/2000 - 2006/2007 (provisional), 27 March 2008).

5. According to a report published last month by the Public Accounts Committee, ‘Whilst overall participation in higher education has increased since 1999-2000, particular groups remain under-represented. Men from lower socio-economic backgrounds are significantly under-represented, particularly those from white ethnic backgrounds, as are young people living in deprived areas compared with the general population.’ (PAC, Widening participation in higher education, February 2009)