News story

29th June 2004

Local MP Welcomes Government's Gap Year Climbdown - Good News for Local Sixth Formers

Northavon MP Steve Webb has welcomed a last minute climb down by the Government over a key element of its top-up fees proposals, which could have caused heartache over university places for local sixth formers.

Under the Government's original plans, students starting a course in Autumn 2005 would only face the current tuition fee of £1,200 a year, whilst those starting in 2006 would face fees of up to £3,000 a year for their whole course. Anyone obtaining a place for 2005 but taking a "gap year" would have faced a massive additional burden. As a result, it was feared that tens of thousands of students would have cancelled their plan for a gap year, and would have sought places in 2005. This would have added greatly to the pressure on university places in 2005 and could have meant some local sixth formers missing out on places altogether.

Liberal Democrat MPs warned in Parliament that these plans could mean misery for thousands of would-be students who wanted places in 2005 and would also prevent thousands more from benefiting from the experience that a gap year can provide. After considerable pressure, the Government was defeated on the issue by an all-party amendment in the House of Lords and has now agreed that "gap year" students who start in 2006 will not have to pay the additional top-up fees.

Commenting on the climbdown, Steve Webb said:

"I am delighted that pressure from my Liberal Democrat colleagues and others has ensured that local sixth formers who apply for university this year can take a gap year if they wish without facing a big increase in fees.

"I am opposed in principle to top-up fees, but if the government insists on going ahead with them, it is important that they do not create an artificial "bunching" of applications in 2005 which might mean that some local young people cannot get a place at all. I also believe that gap years can be valuable in giving young people new experiences or even in saving up to go to college, and it is important that this option remains open".