Britain’s Universities Minister Opposes Abolishing Tuition Cap

Britain’s universities minister indicated on Thursday that the government does not intend to pursue the recommendation that institutions be allowed to set their own tuition levels, reports The Guardian. David Willetts told participants at the annual conference of the Higher Education Funding Council that the proposal by an independent panel was not “sustainable or sensible to have an unlimited fee cap,” The Independent reports.

The recent review by Lord Browne recommended removing the cap on fees and proposed that institutions that charge over £6,000 a year should be assessed a rising levy on any amount above that figure. After the Browne review was published, Vince Cable, the secretary of state for business, innovation, and skills, to whom Mr. Willetts reports, indicated that the government did not intend to fully remove the cap on tuition. It was instead “considering a level of £7,000.” Mr. Willetts reinforced that idea and provided greater clarity on how the government intends to proceed, telling the conference that he wanted legislation to reach a vote in Parliament by Christmas.