Catherine Atkinson

The ambition for two thirds of young people to benefit from higher level education, where it is an apprenticeship, technical or academic qualifications, is about ensuring that young people have opportunities. Of course we want a fair system of student finance, but the answer should not be taking away choices. The Conservative plans to cut 100,000 university places—to decide what students are and are not allowed to study—is wrong, and it is being proposed by many who benefited from going to university. The coalition Government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats tripled university fees and introduced plan 2 loans. I have been contacted by many graduates such as Adam, who told me he borrowed £37,500 and has repaid over £20,000, but because of interest now owes over £1,000 more than he borrowed in the first place. I am pleased that the Education Secretary has said she will look at these loans. I am also pleased that, unlike the Conservatives, who made and dropped pledges on apprenticeships and presided over a reduction in their number by almost a third in the decade before the last election, this Government are investing £725 million to help deliver 50,000 more quality apprenticeships. For the most disadvantaged students who want to go to university, this Government are reintroducing maintenance grants, enabling opportunity and choice, not cutting them off and telling 100,000 students that they cannot have the choices that were open to us.