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The Earl of Effingham (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 17 March 2026

Debate

Higher Education (Fee Limits and Fee Limit Condition) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Contribution

My Lords, like the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, I would like to register my interest: my daughter is a first-year student. These changes will probably not impact me because she pays and has a student loan, but, just for the record, I have a daughter who is at university and has a student loan. I welcome the opportunity to speak to these higher education regulations, which His Majesty’s loyal Opposition oppose. These regulations will once again push tuition fees higher for students. The noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, quite correctly said that they will have profound consequences for students. Under this SI, the maximum fee cap will rise to £9,790 in 2027 and exceed £10,000 the following year. This comes despite repeated promises from both the Secretary of State for Education and the Prime Minister that graduates would pay less under this Government. That is simply not the case. Fees were already raised last September for the first time in eight years, and repayment thresholds have been frozen. As many noble Lords understand, this is effectively a tax rise on graduates.

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