Marking the anniversary of the Higher Education Act and commenting on recent research that shows top-up fees may triple student debt, local Lib Dem Justine McGuinness has hit out against mounting student According to figures gained by the Liberal Democrats, student debt in the South West could top £910m each year by 2010.
Figures show the Government’s plans to charge students up to £3,000 a year tuition fees will lead to enormous levels of debt in every region in England. Regionally the total student debt in each year could total:
| Greater London | £1.6bn |
| Eastern | £908m |
| South East | £1.5bn |
| Yorkshire and Humber | £818m |
| North West | £1.2bn |
| East Midlands | £724m |
| West Midlands | £942m |
| North East | £419m |
| South West | £910m |
Commenting West Dorset’s Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, Justine McGuinness, said:
“Having benefited from free universities themselves, Government ministers have pulled up the ladder of opportunity behind them.
“Universities have confirmed that the Government’s plans will not raise enough extra money to meet their needs. The Liberal Democrats are the only Party to have come up with a viable, sensible and costed alternative to this disgraceful policy. The Liberal Democrats are the only party committed to scrapping tuition fees to ensure that young people from all backgrounds can go to university on the basis of their ability, not their finances.
“With four consecutive polls showing the Liberal Democrats as the first choice for students, it is clear that Labour will be held to account at the ballot box for their u-turn over top up fees.”
