David Willetts

In Prime Minister’s Questions today, Gordon Brown once again made dishonest claims about Labour’s spending plans. Meanwhile, one of his junior ministers slipped out the news that the Government has announced cuts in the amount of support for students. David Willetts, the Shadow Secretary of State for Universities and Skills, said:

“This week Gordon Brown announced a new set of so-called guaranteed rights to public services. Today, he has broken a guarantee he made to students when he became Prime Minister. He said teenagers from poorer families would be guaranteed maximum support at university. That pledge has now been abandoned. It shows his supposed guarantees are worth nothing.

“In his first week as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown promised to increase financial support for students. But he has run out of money and he has been cutting back support for students ever since. Students from poor backgrounds have been let down by a Government that has given up on them.

“We want the long-promised student finance review to be brought forward so that we can do more, not less, for students from poorer backgrounds. This is now more important than ever.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. In July 2007, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills announced that all 16-year olds living in England in receipt of an EMA [Educational Maintenance Allowance] would be given ‘a firm guarantee’ of the minimum level of financial support if they progressed to higher education. At the time, Gordon Brown said: ‘I want every individual who has the potential and qualifications to succeed in higher education to be given the opportunity to participate, whatever their family background. No one should be held back from realising their potential by fears that they will not be able to afford to go to university or that they will graduate with unmanageable levels of debt.’ (DIUS press release, 5 July 2007)
2. Today, ministers announced they had ‘revised our plans for a guarantee of student support, and will offer students in receipt of EMA a clear quote of the student support they will receive if their circumstances are unchanged at the time they apply for higher education.’ (Parliamentary written statement, 1st July 2009)
3. Last year, the Government cut the maintenance grant entitlement of students from families on incomes of more than £25,000.