Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Tuition Fees — [Sir David Amess in the Chair]

16 November 2020 · 6 other contributors · 12,759 words

Opened by Chris Evans Labour (Co-op) Caerphilly

Responding minister: Michelle Donelan

Education

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Chris Evans raised concerns about tuition fees — [sir david amess in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Students have not received adequate value for money from universities due to the pandemic and strikes.
  • Over 980,000 signatures support petitions demanding compensation or refunds.
  • A student enrolled in a clinical course expressed fear over the lack of clinical practice.

Key requests to Government

The Government should recognise its duty to care for students and consider setting up a new process to deal with complaints arising from out-of-the-ordinary events like the pandemic or strikes. They need to act on these concerns to maintain this country's reputation for excellence in academic institutions.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Chris Evans Labour (Co-op) Caerphilly

Students are aggrieved because they have not received adequate value for money from universities due to the pandemic and strikes. Over 980,000 signatures support petitions demanding various forms of compensation or refunds. The Petitions Committee survey of over 25,000 students revealed dissatisfaction with the quality of education provided during the pandemic. A student enrolled on a clinical course expressed disappointment at the lack of clinical practice and fear about the impact on their future practice. Since September, one student has committed suicide every week.

Other contributors (6)
  • Bell Ribeiro-Addy Lab Clapham and Brixton Hill

    The speaker expressed concern over the impact of high tuition fees on students during the pandemic, particularly those attending university in poor conditions due to lockdown measures. They criticised the Government's advice to universities on managing COVID-19, highlighting that thousands of first-year students are facing difficult circumstances including remote learning and increased risk of contracting the virus during face-to-face teaching. The speaker also mentioned that approximately 2,600 university students and staff have contracted the virus since returning to in-person classes. She inquired if the Minister was aware of schools not receiving promised devices before summer, leading to reduced device allocations for students based on care leaver status.

  • Claudia Webbe Lab Leicester East

    Ms Claudia Webbe criticised the Government's handling of students during the pandemic, noting over 45,000 positive cases on university campuses and highlighting financial struggles faced by many students. She called for immediate action to halt in-person teaching, help students stay at home after Christmas if necessary, and move non-essential work online.

  • Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice

    Expressed concerns about the impact of tuition fees on students, highlighted issues such as debt, mental health support, and inadequate testing infrastructure. Criticized the repeated use of £256 million figure without substantial evidence of support for students. Ms Hardy stated that the £256 million fund is stretched and highlighted that only care leavers can access the £195 million digital access fund.

  • Esther McVey Con Tatton

    Ms McVey highlighted the poor service and lack of support provided to students during the pandemic, citing examples such as inadequate online teaching, insufficient one-to-one contact, and unresponsive university staff. She mentioned specific cases like Emily Bethell, who felt that her education was compromised without recourse, and Bronwen Kershaw, who struggled with physical library access. Ms McVey also raised concerns about students' mental health, isolation in accommodation, and the fairness of refund processes. She clarified that if a student seeks redress through their university, anonymity will not be maintained.

  • Kim Johnson Lab Liverpool Riverside

    Covid-19 has negatively impacted students in Liverpool, especially those from the three universities within her constituency. Seventy-eight per cent of students reported being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their learning experience due to online shifts and a lack of refunds for accommodation. She highlighted that 40,000 students have tested positive for Covid-19, forcing many into isolation with poor mental health conditions. Johnson called out the Government's encouragement for students to return to campuses despite warnings from student bodies, resulting in extreme living conditions and uncertain futures for second-term studies.

  • Rachael Maskell Lab Co-op York Central

    Maskell thanked the University of York and York St John University for their support during challenging times. She highlighted that students have faced isolation, mental health crises, and a strange city experience due to the pandemic. She mentioned petitions calling for fee reimbursement and lower tuition fees, advocating for free university education as a fundamental issue behind these concerns. Maskell stressed the underfunding of the university sector and called for investment in higher education and research funding, expressing worry about the impact on international students and their mental health. She also discussed the need to review the current funding model, which places risk on students, and proposed focusing on attracting students to fire up the economy through new growth areas like digital technology and biosciences.

Government Response

Michelle Donelan

I congratulate the hon. Member for Islwyn (Chris Evans) on securing this important debate and acknowledge the significant impact of covid-19 on staff, students, and higher education providers. The Government emphasise the importance of keeping universities open during the pandemic to avoid curtailment of young people's ambitions and dreams. We have worked closely with the Office for Students to ensure quality, quantity, and accessibility of tuition is maintained and supported the resilience and innovation shown by staff and students. The minister notes that a system exists through which students can pursue official complaints procedures at their universities or go to the Office for Independent Adjudicator (OIA) if unsatisfied. OIA cases will be completed within 90 days, offering protections against potential backlash from universities. The Government have established a working group including NUS, OFS, Universities UK, and CMA to promote students' rights. The minister disputes the suggestion that all students are being let down by the current system and highlights the investment made in innovative online learning. She acknowledges the importance of maintaining high-quality education despite changes in delivery mode due to public health priorities and provides examples of universities adapting successfully to remote teaching. Universities will be best placed to determine proportions of online and in-person learning, working with their local Public Health England teams. The OFS is directly engaging with providers that have moved provision online due to coronavirus restrictions, assessing material to ensure quality and quantity of provision are maintained. Tuition fees cover more than just teaching—support services such as mental health and wellbeing must be maintained especially when students are isolating. The Government have provided robust public health advice and guidance to universities through the higher education taskforce. The minister highlights efforts made by the Government to protect student mental health, including £3 million for a Student Space project with Student Minds, which has recently been extended. She also mentions the £256 million fund for student hardship, clarified that providers can use it throughout the academic year, and encourages universities to prioritise digital poverty and accessibility. The Government are focusing on ensuring courses lead to qualifications and supporting students through their higher education experience, working hard so they feel safe and supported. Universities play a crucial role in social mobility and economic recovery, and the minister expresses gratitude for the tireless work of university staff and acknowledges the adaptability shown by students during these challenging times.

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