Higher Education and Research Bill

Debate between Mike Wood and Gordon Marsden

2nd reading: House of Commons & Money resolution: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons & Ways and Means resolution: House of Commons
Tuesday 19th July 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Marsden]

I will make progress and come to the hon. Lady presently.

Long-established institutions such as Cambridge University have said quite straightforwardly that they do not support the link between the TEF and fees. Cambridge University states:

“it is bound to affect student decision-making adversely, and in particular it may deter students from low income families from applying to the best universities”.

No wonder the Government’s equality analysis had to resort to newspeak, saying that

“TEF is expected to benefit students regardless of their… characteristics”,

in an attempt to meet their public equality duty.

[Mike Wood]

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?