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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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New UCAS figures show Welsh Lib Dems were right to oppose top-up fees - Black
August 31, 2006 8:23 PM
Peter Black at a NUS Wales lobby of the National Assembly
Latest university admission figures prove that top-up fees are putting people off a university education, according to Peter Black AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson.
The UCAS figures show a 7.5% increase in the number of Welsh students at Welsh universities - who won't pay top-up tuition fees - while the number of Welsh students going to English universities has slumped by 12.9%.
Peter Black said: "These figures add concrete statistical evidence to the wealth of anecdotal evidence that top-up fees put people off going to university. That's why Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed them. That's why we made sure Welsh students attending Welsh universities will not have to pay top-up fees.
"Labour's extra tax on learning has clearly had the effect of putting hundreds of youngsters off going to universities in England. Yet, in Wales admissions are up. I'm proud that the Welsh Liberal Democrats said no, and that as a result, hundreds of Welsh youngsters have been able to take advantage of furthering their education.
"Putting people off continuing their education will only result in a country and a workforce with fewer qualifications and a reduced ability to compete in the global marketplace. We will all be poorer for that."
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