Press Release: Young people still face a summer crisis
In response to Peter Mandelson’s announcement on new university places, David Willetts MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Universities and Skills, said:
‘The Government’s belated u-turn is welcome. The extra 10,000 places are long overdue and reverse ministers’ own reduction in extra places.
‘But we are not out of the woods yet. The new places come with no funding for teaching - yet STEM courses cost more. Around 40,000 more applicants are likely to be rejected this year than last. And there is nothing for those whose A-Levels stop them from applying for STEM courses. We still face a summer crisis.
‘There is even a sting in the tail for students. The five-year holiday on student loan repayments is being slashed to just two years - the second reduction in support for students in the two months since Peter Mandelson got responsibility for universities.’
Notes for Editors
1. The Higher Education Funding Council for England pays universities different amounts to cover teaching costs depending on the type of course being studied. This reflects the fact that STEM (Science, Techology, Engineering and Maths) courses cost significantly more to teach than other courses.
| Price group |
HEFCE grant (£) |
| A (clinical) |
14,500 |
| B (laboratory) |
5,400 |
| C (studio, laboratory or fieldwork element) |
3,800 |
| D (all other subjects) |
2,700 |
Figures rounded to nearest £100. (Hefce, Recurrent grants for 2009/10, March 2009)
2. Peter Mandelson’s department gained responsibility for higher education and skills on 5 June 2009. On 1 July 2009, he abandoned the Government’s guarantee to give full financial support to students previously in receipt of the Educational Maintenance Allowance. Today, he has abandoned the commitment to give graduates a five-year repayment holiday.