PRESS RELEASE

19 May 2003

OTTAWAY: a fair deal for Croydon's students and parents

Conservatives pledge to abolish university tuition fees

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, speaking last week to local Conservatives, announced that the Conservative Party would abolish university tuition fees - described as a 'tax on learning'. This would save students and their families across Croydon up to £3,000 a year each. In Croydon, there are already 9195 full-time students aged 18 or over who might benefit from this policy, and another 6912 students aged 16-17, many of whom may soon go to university.

Richard Ottaway said:

"Labour's university tuition fees are a tax on learning. They have let down hard-working families across Croydon leaving young people with huge debts when they start work. Labour's interference in admissions has universities tied up in red tape.

"We need a fair deal for students and universities. We want every student to be able to aspire to the top universities, every university to offer places purely on merit, and every student to be studying something worthwhile.

"Our policy is fairer than the Liberal Democrat alternative. The Liberal Democrats would force the poorest students to live at home, which would prevent them from going to the best specialist university to suit them, and they would not guarantee university students a full three-year course.

"Under Conservatives, the university sector will be smaller, better focused, and open to all who deserve to be there."

Ends.

For further information call 020 7219 6392.