MPs oppose second degree funding cuts
Tuesday, 8 January 2008 12:00 AM
MPs are preparing to debate government proposals to cut £100 million of funding from adult learning, after the prime minister said resources must be targeted at those with no qualifications.
The government wants to reduce the budget for people studying a second undergraduate degree or additional qualification, so-called equivalent or lower qualifications (ELQ) students.
More than 200 MPs have so far signed an early day motion opposing the funding cut, which has also been criticised by the Open University and Birkbeck College, London.
The Conservatives will put forward a motion condemning the budget cuts in the Commons today.
With the Tory motion borrowing heavily from the early day motion, which was signed by 86 Labour MPs, it has been speculated the opposition are attempting to stoke up tensions between the government and backbenchers.
But David Willetts, shadow universities secretary, said the cuts will be a heavy blow against mothers looking to improve their skills to re-enter the labour market.
Mr Willetts said today: "There is cross-party support for the Open University, Birkbeck and other institutions that give people a second chance. It's bizarre that the government wants to take £100 million from them without consulting anybody beforehand."
The Conservatives have stressed their motion is "exactly the same" as the early day motion backed by 211 MPs.
It warned the decision to withdraw funding "will have a disproportionate impact on the part-time sector in general and on specific institutions such as Birkbeck and the Open University."
Mr Willetts said he "very much hoped" the 86 Labour supporters would vote with the Conservatives today.
The prime minister has, however, defended the proposed changes.
Speaking to reporters at Downing Street Gordon Brown said he wanted people to get more qualifications, including second undergraduate degrees.
But he said the government had to consider its priorities and put its resources into helping people with no qualifications at all.
John Denham, university and skills secretary, wrote to the Higher Education Funding Council for England in September to defend the changes.
"While there may be much benefit to an individual, or their employer, in them retraining for a second qualification at the same level, this is not, in my view, usually as high a priority for public funding as support for students who are either entering higher education for the first time, or progressing to higher qualifications.
"In many cases, it may be appropriate for the employer to pay at least a proportion of the costs of such re-training."
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