Damian Green

The Conservatives have pledged to abolish university tuition fees if they win the next general election.

The party described the fees introduced by the government as a way of bringing extra cash to higher education as a "tax on learning".

Shadow education secretary Damian Green said that tuition fees had proved a "failure".

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

Damian Green, shadow education secretary, told ePolitix.com: "Universities UK say that abolishing the 50 per cent target 'risks leaving the UK lagging behind other countries in the world knowledge economy'. But the university graduation rate in Britain is amongst the highest in the developed world. Where we lag well behind most other developed countries is in vocational education.

"Just 28 per cent of Britons hold vocational qualifications at Level 2 (GCSE/GNVQ), compared with 41 per cent in France and 58 per cent in Germany (NVQ Level 2/equivalent as percentage of workforce, National Skills Taskforce: Skills for All, 2000, 2001). Far from leaving us 'lagging behind', expanding vocational instead of higher education would strengthen the British economy.

"Universities UK also say that your plans to abolish the 50 per cent target would risk 'depriving many brighter students from poorer backgrounds of the opportunities they deserve'. But it is precisely because so many students are not getting the opportunity they deserve that we launched this policy.

"Rigging admissions will not help students from poorer backgrounds, and nor will Labour's £3000 per year fees. These students need instead a better school education in the first place.

"Even for average and higher earners, Labour's tax on learning will bite hard on top of rises in council tax, national insurance, petrol tax, stamp duty, and the abolition of both Mortgage Interest Tax Relief and the married couples allowance.

"If the money raised supported worthwhile initiatives then the extra burden would be more tolerable, but in fact it is being used to pay the price of the government's social engineering."

Forum Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Gerald Imison, joint acting general secretary, told ePolitix.com: "The Association of Teachers and Lecturers welcomes proposals to abolish tuition fees but more important than vote-catching statements from opposition parties are clear statements as to how higher education will be funded.

"What students and parents need to know is what the Conservatives really plan for higher education if they are in government".

Forum Response: Universities UK

Roderick Floud, president of Universities UK, said: "We note the Conservative's proposals for higher education and will analyse these in detail. A key question is of course whether the proposals would address the sector's continuing funding needs.

"At first sight, the Conservatives propose to deprive universities of a much-needed source of funding to relieve middle-class students from paying fees; the poorest students are already exempt so they would not benefit.

"Universities UK supports widening participation and believes that all those who can benefit from higher education should be able to do so.

"Abolishing the 50 per cent target would save little money in the short run and risks leaving the UK lagging behind other countries in the world knowledge economy. It also risks depriving many bright students from poorer backgrounds of the opportunities they deserve."