Higher Education (Fee Limits and Student Support) (England) (Coronavirus) (Revocation) Regulations 2020

Baroness Gardner of Parkes Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2020 Grand Committee

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Con) [V]]

My Lords, I am very interested in this debate because student numbers being larger than ever may sound a doubtful proposition, but when I went to Sydney University, that was exactly the situation there. Those who had fought in the Second World War were all allowed to come in in unlimited numbers, and they provided a huge surplus of dentists in Australia. Everything had to be taught on a shift mechanism. Eventually—there were no jobs; they were out building roads and things—they discovered that the National Health Service in London was desperately short of dentists. Hundreds came over and did wonders with the national health treatment, particularly of children.

It is children who I think would benefit from these extra numbers in the schools. It is essential that they be maintained and encouraged to go on. It does not matter what the financial difficulties are. We have to think of the future of these people who have now been offered a place at university. We cannot afford to fail to honour that. It is good that we have these numbers. I support the measures.