Higher Education: Financial Sustainability

Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville Excerpts

Monday 15th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I do not think I am going into defensive mode. I reiterate the view of the OECD, which is a widely respected body, on the sustainability of higher education finance. Like the noble Earl, Lord Howe, I have forgotten the second part of the question. I remember—since the report was published, as the Chancellor set out in the Autumn Statement, we have in fact announced that postgraduate loan-based funding would be available from 2016. We have addressed some of the concerns within the report.

[Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville (Con)]

My Lords, will my noble friend take comfort from the fact that when Mr Blair advanced the policy of “education, education, education”, he did so after the Conservatives had raised participation in higher education to a percentage in the middle 30s after inheriting a figure of 12% from the Labour Party in 1979?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I always take comfort in everything that my noble friend says.