[{"topic":"Students","id":"44134","proposer":"10521","edm":"2","session":"2012-13","title":"Living In The Holy Land And National Curriculum","text":"That this House believes that life over the last 100 years in that part of the Middle East known as the Holy Land should form part of the National Curriculum for History so that pupils and students are taught how the State of Israel was created from the former administration of Palestine; and calls on the Secretary of State for Education to encourage the development of an outreach programme so that pupils and students can witness how Palestinians in the twenty first century live both in their former homelands and in refugee camps in neighbouring countries.","date":"2012-05-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"44075","proposer":"10428","edm":"2967","session":"2010-12","title":"Further Education Loans","text":"That this House is aware that many UK students in further education currently pay 50 per cent of their tuition fees, while the state pays the rest; is alarmed about the Government's latest intention that by the year 2013-14 anyone aged 24 years or over, who wants to study at education level 3 or above, will then have to pay the full cost of their tuition via a student loan rather than through any upfront fees; is therefore deeply concerned that the Student Loans Company (SLC) has little time and too few resources to develop an adequate system able to administer such changes, especially as there exists at the present time insufficient information, advice, guidance and formal structures relating to such changes; and calls on the Government to cancel the introduction of this approach until at least a proper assessment is made of the likely impact it would have on both the SLC and students who have little or no previous experience of loans.","date":"2012-04-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"43704","proposer":"10063","edm":"2608","session":"2010-12","title":"Can You Solve This -\u0000 Campaign On Iranian Students","text":"That this House notes the Can You Solve This campaign launched by students at 26 university campuses across the UK to date; further notes this campaign highlights the plight of Iranian students denied access to higher education on grounds of their beliefs; calls for an immediate end to the unjust and oppressive practices of the Islamic Republic of Iran in denying education to young people for ideological reasons; and further calls on the Government to join the thousands of students who have already spoken up on this issue by using the full range of bi-lateral and multilateral diplomatic channels at their disposal to press the Iranian authorities to end their practices of denying access to university or expelling from university young Iranian citizens on the grounds of their religious, political or social beliefs.","date":"2012-01-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"42623","proposer":"10614","edm":"1576","session":"2010-12","title":"Yemeni Students At De Montfort University","text":"That this House commends and welcomes the arrival of three Yemeni students from the University of Sana'a to study at De Montfort University, Leicester; recognises the hard work and co-operation between the two institutes in instigating a scholarship to facilitate this, in particular the Vice-Chancellor ofDe Montfort University Dominic Shellard; further recognises the benefits of promoting an educational and cultural exchange between the two countries; and urges the Government to join him in congratulating De Montfort University, the University of Sana'a and the three successful students.","date":"2011-03-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"42627","proposer":"24892","edm":"1580","session":"2010-12","title":"Labour Party And Tuition Fees","text":"That this House notes the comments of Lord Mandelson in the foreword to his updated memoir The Third Man that `I assumed, as the Treasury did, that the outcome [of the Browne Review] would have to include a significant increase in tuition fees' and that he felt that tuition fees would have to double in order to offset the deficit-reduction measures that the Labour Party would also have implemented had it won the election; recalls that fees were introduced in 1997 by a Labour government with a Parliamentary majority of 179; further recalls that they were then tripled in 2001, by a Labour government with a Parliamentary majority of 167; further notes that by Lord Mandelson's admission, had the Labour Party continued in office after the 2010 general election, it would have sought to at the very least double tuition fees; and regrets that the current Labour leadership has not been open and transparent about this issue.","date":"2011-03-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"42399","proposer":"24784","edm":"1374","session":"2010-12","title":"Student Volunteering Week 2011","text":"That this House notes Student Volunteering Week 2011 from 21 to 27 February; recognises the value of student volunteering for the community, education, business and the student; further notes the importance of volunteering during a time of economic instability; supports the work of Volunteering England to support further and higher education across the country to provide student volunteering provision;further recognises that 2011 is a landmark year for volunteers, being the 10th anniversary ofStudent Volunteering Week, the European Year of Volunteering, the UN's International Year of Volunteers +10 and the penultimate year before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; andtherefore acknowledges that this year presents an ideal opportunity to highlight the wider work that student volunteers do at home and overseas to strengthen local and global communities.","date":"2011-01-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"42209","proposer":"24966","edm":"1197","session":"2010-12","title":"Student Voting","text":"That this House notes that a number of constituencies and council wards have large but transient student populations; further notes that these students are entitled to register to vote at either their term-time address or their permanent address; believes that this short-term population can often outvote the permanently settled communities; further believes that it is unfair for a community to be outvoted in this way and resolves that students with both permanent and term-time addresses should be required to vote at their permanent address.","date":"2010-12-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"41930","proposer":"24798","edm":"943","session":"2010-12","title":"Education Maintenance Allowances","text":"That this House expresses deep concern over the sudden, unexpected announcement of the removal of education maintenance allowances (EMAs) from 16 to 19 year olds; notes that EMAs have supported the widening of participation, raising of aspiration and growth in higher attainment levels amongst young people; and believes their removal is likely to disadvantage seriously young people in lower socio-economic groups and from minority backgrounds in continuing their education and that this will be to the detriment of the whole country.","date":"2010-11-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"41560","proposer":"24754","edm":"603","session":"2010-12","title":"Requirements On Prospective English Language Students","text":"That this House disapproves of sections 17 and 18 of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 382, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 July 2010 for implementation on 23 July 2010; and calls on the Government to bring forward rules which do not require prospective English language students to achieve B1 standard English before their studies, in recognition of the potential damage the proposed rules could do to this vital 1.5 billion industry.","date":"2010-07-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"41304","proposer":"24947","edm":"364","session":"2010-12","title":"Open University Support For Part-Time Students","text":"That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to review the system of financial support for part-time students; further welcomes the contribution to the Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Review of The Open University, the United Kingdom's only university dedicated to distance learning, which is campaigning to obtain a fair settlement for part-time students; believes that part-time higher education is ideally placed to help the UK re-skill out of the recession through its ability to provide flexible, dynamic and innovative provision; further believes that The Open University has played a vital role in promoting social mobility and in widening participation through flexible part-time provision; further believes that all students, whether full-time of part-time, should be eligible either for fee grants or fee loans depending on income; and calls on the Government to create a single integrated system of institutional funding and student support in England that draws no distinction between modes of study.","date":"2010-06-30","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40843","proposer":"10063","edm":"1190","session":"2009-10","title":"London's Part-Time Students","text":"That this House welcomes the impact that accessible and flexible part-time higher education makes to the lives of many people in the UK; praises the particular role that Birkbeck College (University of London) plays in London and welcomes its new collaborations in the east London Borough of Newham; recognises that the part-time sector has a funding inequity of 43 per cent. by needing full-time buildings and resources yet only receiving a part-time equivalence injection of funds; and calls on the Government to ensure that cuts to the higher education budget will not be extended to the already disproportionately under-funded part-time sector.","date":"2010-03-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40347","proposer":"10431","edm":"755","session":"2009-10","title":"Student Volunteering Week 22-28 February 2010","text":"That this House expresses its appreciation to the tens of thousands of students in further and higher education who volunteer their time to contribute to society; recognises the benefits of this volunteering to the public, private and voluntary sectors; welcomes Student Volunteering Week being held from 22 to 28 February 2010 to celebrate and promote student volunteering; notes the importance of student volunteering in a difficult economic climate in contributing to an individual's employability, confidence and well-being; and supports the work of Volunteering England in striving to strengthen community cohesion through campus and community-based volunteering across the country.","date":"2010-01-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40323","proposer":"10295","edm":"732","session":"2009-10","title":"Student Loans","text":"That this House notes with concern the announcement by the Student Loans Company of a cut of 150 jobs; asks whether staff numbers should be cut in light of recent acknowledged systemic failures on the part of the company to process thousands of students' loan applications this year; considers that although greater efficiency should always be sought the timing of such a decision will come as no comfort to those students still waiting for September 2009 payments; further asks that the company concentrates on addressing urgently its current processing issues before looking to streamline back office operations; and calls for compensation to be paid to those students who have incurred costs because of the company's failure to deliver the student loans on time.","date":"2010-01-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40327","proposer":"10218","edm":"736","session":"2009-10","title":"Accredited Private Colleges And Overseas Students","text":"That this House notes that the Government has introduced a system of accreditation for private colleges catering primarily for overseas students; further notes that as a result of this system many colleges have been closed and some colleges that have received accreditation have subsequently had that accreditation suspended and face the possibility of closure; further notes that the system of accreditation has been understandably taken by overseas students and that the colleges they are applying to study at are bona fide legitimate institutions; further notes that students who have enrolled at colleges which subsequently lose accreditation are then denied the courses they have paid for and face losing their visa rights obliging them to return home with their courses uncompleted and without refund of the fees, fares and living expenses they have incurred; believes that the Government needs to take action to assist these students by offering flexibility over visas obtained in these circumstances, helping students to retrieve fees and find courses at alternative bona fide legitimate colleges; and further believes that if the Government does not provide this aid, Britain's appeal as a place for overseas students to come to study providing some $5 billion of revenue per annum will be jeopardised.","date":"2010-01-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40282","proposer":"10346","edm":"692","session":"2009-10","title":"Graduate Tax","text":"That this House concurs with the National Union of Students that a graduate tax should be introduced for financing universities in place of top-up fees and that raising the \u00a33,000 cap on fees will create further marketisation of higher education, pricing the poorest out of the system; and believes that a graduate tax would also provide a more reliable and consistent form of finance for universities and have the benefit of fostering a longer-term bond between alumni and the university.","date":"2010-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40232","proposer":"10353","edm":"647","session":"2009-10","title":"Review Of Student Visas","text":"That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's assurance in his speech on Education as a global growth industry on 14 January 2010 that all students who came to the UK legitimately would be made welcome, because the Government was not prepared to put legitimate colleges out of business or set back efforts to expand educational trade; and calls on the Secretaries of State for the Home Department and for Business, Innovation and Skills to ensure that any recommendations for change to the student visa system made following the review which began in November 2009 support rather than damage existing legitimate courses and the properly accredited and registered schools and colleges offering them.","date":"2010-01-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40235","proposer":"10587","edm":"650","session":"2009-10","title":"The Big Bang 2010 UK Young Scientists' And Engineers' Fair","text":"That this House welcomes and supports The Big Bang 2010: UK Young Scientists' and Engineers' Fair taking place on 11 to 13 March 2010 which will include the finals of the National Science and Engineering Competition; notes that over 15,000 students have already registered to attend the free event, which will include a wide range of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) projects on display; and believes that the study of STEM is crucial to ensure Britain's future prosperity and success.","date":"2010-01-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40184","proposer":"10166","edm":"605","session":"2009-10","title":"Support For Students With Serious Illness","text":"That this House recognises that students who develop serious illness are deemed to have drawn down their student loans when they have to suspend their studies to receive treatment for life-threatening illnesses like cancer; understands that students are denied benefits for 28 weeks because of this; further understands that after that period their student loans are taken into account in assessing the amount of benefit paid; believes that it is distressing enough for young people to have to fight serious illness without being denied benefits available to others; further recognises that the current rules mean that students may be burdened by four years of student loans for a three year degree course; further believes that students who have to suspend their courses because of serious ill health are treated unfairly in comparison with students who abandon or are dismissed from their course; and calls on the Government to rectify this unfair and unjust situation.","date":"2010-01-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"40135","proposer":"10327","edm":"556","session":"2009-10","title":"Student Finance England","text":"That this House condemns Student Finance England for its deplorable failure to deal competently and in a timeous manner with applications from students, thus causing hardship and difficulty to individuals and families; and calls on the Government to step in and penalise those responsible for this shambles.","date":"2010-01-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"39959","proposer":"10241","edm":"397","session":"2009-10","title":"Language Schools And The Points-Based System Tier 4 Review","text":"That this House is concerned that the proposals in the Home Office consultation regarding limiting Tier 4 student visas to only higher educational institutions would have serious consequences for genuine language schools; recognises the role English language schools play in local communities and economies; is extremely concerned about abuses of the student visa system for immigration purposes; and calls on the Government to crack down on bogus colleges and students, but opposes unnecessary restrictions on the applications of students to legitimate language schools.","date":"2009-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"39898","proposer":"10353","edm":"338","session":"2009-10","title":"Review Of Tier 4 Points-Based System For Student Visas","text":"That this House recognises the important role of the English language teaching sector in the UK economy and in promoting a positive image of the UK; welcomes the steps taken by the Government and by the sector to introduce more robust forms of registration and the accreditation of course providers; acknowledges the need to deal with abuses of the student visa system, but is concerned that proposals being consulted on in the review of the Tier 4 Points-based System for student visas could result in some 50,000 fewer legitimate students a year coming to the UK's language schools, further education colleges and universities to study, causing severe damage to the sector and a major loss of income to the UK; believes that it is possible to deal with any abuses in the system in ways which do not damage properly registered and accredited providers of courses; and calls on the Government to work closely with representatives of those providers to agree an alternative solution to that currently being consulted on.","date":"2009-12-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"39872","proposer":"10096","edm":"312","session":"2009-10","title":"Berlanty Azzam And Bethlehem University","text":"That this House congratulates Bethlehem University on its scheme to bring students from Gaza to the university to study; is shocked, however, to learn that one student, Ms Berlanty Azzam, who is in her fourth year majoring in business administration, was arrested by the Israeli military, blindfolded, handcuffed and transferred from Bethlehem to Gaza in the middle of the night; recognises that whilst the Israeli-controlled population registry lists Ms Azzam as residing in the Gaza Strip, she has lived in Bethlehem since 2005; calls on the Israeli authorities to allow her to complete her degree; and urges the Government to protest against the unjust Israeli policy that bans Palestinian residents of Gaza from studying in the West Bank.","date":"2009-12-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"39339","proposer":"10190","edm":"2107","session":"2008-09","title":"Student Loans Company (No. 2)","text":"That this House is most concerned that the remaining 175,000 applications that have been made to the Student Loans Company have not been approved; urges the Government to ensure that no student is forced to suspend or leave higher education as a result of the financial difficulty incurred; and calls on the Government to review the situation to ensure that the technical and administrative problems experienced this year are not repeated.","date":"2009-10-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"39259","proposer":"10641","edm":"2030","session":"2008-09","title":"Student Loans Company","text":"That this House is extremely concerned over the failings of the Student Loans Company to deal effectively with student applications for loans in 2009; notes that when most students had commenced their courses on 4 October 2009, 175,000 were waiting for their loans of which 136,410 were first time applicants; further notes that, despite commitments to manage the backlog, 116,000 undergraduates have received no money; recognises that the Student Loans Company has had to deal with record numbers of applications but has failed to prepare adequately for the increased demand; and calls on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to carry out an immediate inquiry into the operation of the Student Loans Company to prevent a reoccurrence in 2010.","date":"2009-10-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"38809","proposer":"10367","edm":"1626","session":"2008-09","title":"Manchester Academy And Easy Money Guide For Young People","text":"That this House notes that during a worldwide recession young people acquiring sound financial knowledge and information is a strong foundation for recovery and future strength; applauds young enterprise programmes in schools as a creative and engaging form of academic development for young people; applauds the hard work of Manchester Academy and its students in producing the Easy Money guide for young people; welcomes a readable and highly lucid publication, providing a clear and easily understood financial guide for Britain's youth; congratulates the ingenuity and talent of the founding members of Golden Moment Ltd, Wayne Ramwell, Mohtasham Qureshi, Kevin Yap, Kaif Hussain and Muhammed Saleem, who co-authored the book; believes that simple and comprehensible money advice is important for all young people; and commends the work of Golden Moment Ltd as a shining example of social entrepreneurship serving the wider community interest.","date":"2009-06-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"38618","proposer":"10528","edm":"1453","session":"2008-09","title":"Detention Of Pakistani Students","text":"That this House calls on the Home Office to intervene in the case of the 11 Pakistani students arrested on 8 April 2009 as part of a security operation and released into UK Border Agency detention without charge and who are currently awaiting removal from the UK; notes that these students were not charged and that as such the human rights of these individuals are being materially breached; further notes that the fundamental tenet and basis of the UK justice system is being innocent until proven guilty; and calls for their immediate release to enable them to resume their studies.","date":"2009-05-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"38250","proposer":"11473","edm":"1085A1","session":"2008-09","title":"2009 Review Of University And Student Finance","text":"leave out from `study' to `considers' in line 7 and insert `and that it should reflect the principles that no-one should be required to pay tuition fees for first degrees, whether studied for full-time or part-time.'.","date":"2009-03-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"38251","proposer":"11473","edm":"1085A2","session":"2008-09","title":"2009 Review Of University And Student Finance","text":"leave out from `must' to end and add `fully reflect the responsibility of the state in providing access to higher education.'.","date":"2009-03-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"38194","proposer":"10882","edm":"1085","session":"2008-09","title":"2009 Review Of University And Student Finance","text":"That this House believes that the forthcoming review of university and student finance must involve a broad debate about how higher education is and should be funded; notes that the National Union of Students, as the leading voice of students, must be fully involved in this review; further believes that it should encompass full consideration of both student support and tuition fees, should aim to ensure that students are supported according to their needs while they study, and that their contribution to the costs of higher education should reflect its true benefits after graduation; considers that the review must recognise that unmanageable levels of debt are bad for both the borrower and the lender, act as a barrier to wider participation in higher education and should be avoided wherever possible; and further believes that it must examine the proper balance of contributions between the state, individuals and employers to ensure that the future funding of higher education is fair for all.","date":"2009-03-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"37948","proposer":"11589","edm":"871","session":"2008-09","title":"Salary Threshold For Repayment Of Student Loans","text":"That this House notes that university graduates are leaving full-time education with significant levels of debt incurred from student loans; further notes that recent graduates are entering the workplace bearing this burden of debt at a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty and declining employment prospects; recognises that in the current economic climate employers are reducing the number and availability of graduate-level employment positions, leaving graduates facing significant challenges in finding jobs and careers at levels commensurate with their skills and qualifications; and therefore urges the Government to assist newly-qualified graduates by raising the salary threshold at which repayments on student loans start to be collected from \u00c2\u00a315,000 to \u00c2\u00a318,000.","date":"2009-02-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"37400","proposer":"10295","edm":"384","session":"2008-09","title":"Free Transport For School And College Students","text":"That this House calls on the Government to extend the concessionary bus fares scheme to allow everyone under 16 years and those able to prove they are in full-time education or on a work-based learning scheme free travel on buses nationwide; notes the application and success of such a scheme for those who live in London boroughs; and recognises the positive outcomes of such a scheme in offering greater social inclusion and increased mobility for those with limited incomes, a reduction of traffic on the school run and environmental benefits arising from more people making bus travel their viable routine choice.","date":"2009-01-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Students","id":"36922","proposer":"11672","edm":"2507","session":"2007-08","title":"Student Grant Funding","text":"That this House expresses concern that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is facing a \u00c2\u00a3200 million shortfall in student grant funding after miscalculating the number of students eligible for full maintenance grants; expresses further and grave concern that in order to plug this shortfall the Government is reducing the threshold of family income below which a student is eligible for a grant, thus meaning that some students will now not qualify; further notes that this news coincides with a time of great economic hardship; and calls on the Government to take action to ensure that both current, and future students, do not miss out as a result of this shortfall.","date":"2008-11-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"36812","proposer":"10684","edm":"2392A2","session":"2007-08","title":"Student Grants","text":"leave out from `students' to end and insert `further notes the more generous support available to students in England compared to Scotland in terms of both eligibility and level of loans and grants available for full- and part-time further and higher education students; further notes with concern the SNP-controlled Scottish Government's real terms cut to funding to Scottish universities following its spending review resulting in \"their most difficult three years financially since the early 1990s\", according to Universities Scotland; and condemns the SNP for reneging on its uncosted pre-election pledge to write-off student debt and its rejection of a Labour amendment to the Graduate Endowment (Scotland) Bill for a comprehensive and independent review of funding of further and higher education in Scotland, including student support.'.","date":"2008-11-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"36800","proposer":"10586","edm":"2392A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Student Grants","text":"at end add '; and further notes that this commitment is effectively funded by the generosity of the Barnett formula's transfers from UK taxpayers.'.","date":"2008-11-03","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"36781","proposer":"11973","edm":"2392","session":"2007-08","title":"Student Grants","text":"That this House notes the rising cost of living is affecting all sectors of society including students; expresses concern that after a major oversight by the Government, 40,000 students at English universities will be denied grants of up to \u00c2\u00a3524 and are subsequently facing greater financial hardship; and welcomes the Scottish Government's \u00c2\u00a330 million commitment to easing student hardship by moving from loans to grants for part-time students while planning to consult on how to reduce the burden on full-time students.","date":"2008-10-30","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"36561","proposer":"10383","edm":"2210","session":"2007-08","title":"Education (S.i., 2008, No. 2507)","text":"That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Student Fees (Amounts) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 2507), dated 24th September 2008, a copy of which was laid before this House on 2nd October, be annulled.","date":"2008-10-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35913","proposer":"11692","edm":"1631","session":"2007-08","title":"Estrangement Of Lgbt Students","text":"That this House welcomes the publication of the National Union of Students' report, Evaluating Estrangement, which examines the cases of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) students who are estranged from their parents and the arrangements for estrangement status in the application process for higher education student finance; and calls for better guidance on estrangement for higher education decision makers and applicants learning from best practice measures and comprehensive data collection in order to support vulnerable young people in their education and to ensure that estrangement and its consequences are not barriers to accessing education and student support.","date":"2008-05-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35833","proposer":"11672","edm":"1557","session":"2007-08","title":"Return Of Student Deposits By Educational Establishments","text":"That this House notes with concern that, although educational establishments were exempted from certain provisions of the Housing Act 2004, including deposit protection, if they signed an Approved Code of Practice under section 233 of the Housing Act 2004, a problem remains with educational establishments taking a long time to return deposits and that National Union of Students\/Unipol estimates that over 50 per cent. of deposits taken are not returned to students within two months of their tenancies ending and some take many months; further notes that the time set under tenant deposit protection for the return of a deposit is 10 days; and calls on the Government to require the tenancy deposit protection timescales for the return of students' money to be written into the Approved Code of Practice forthwith.","date":"2008-05-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35568","proposer":"11672","edm":"1327","session":"2007-08","title":"Higher Education Policy Institute Tuition Fees Report","text":"That this House is concerned by the findings of a report by the Higher Education Policy Institute which shows that tuition fees could more than double to \u00c2\u00a37,000 a year, and that students could be made to pay these fees before they start their courses; is further concerned that this could lead to graduates accumulating mortgage-style debts, which would take longer to pay off and put off even more people from less affluent backgrounds from applying to higher education; and believes that lifting the cap on tuition fees could have a serious and detrimental impact on the numbers of young people applying to university, particularly from less affluent backgrounds, and on the future life of graduates who face being burdened with mountainous debts for years to come.","date":"2008-04-03","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35545","proposer":"12004","edm":"1261A1","session":"2007-08","title":"University Tuition Fees","text":"at end add `, and encourages the Westminster Government to follow the Scottish Government's example.'.","date":"2008-04-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35495","proposer":"11823","edm":"1261","session":"2007-08","title":"University Tuition Fees","text":"That this House welcomes and acknowledges the UK Youth Parliament's report into university tuition fees; notes that while 60 per cent. of the 5,850 15 to 18 year olds surveyed aspired to attend university, one in three who wanted to attend said they would not be able to afford to go; agrees with 80 per cent. of survey respondents who said the Government was not doing enough to make university financially accessible for young people; and calls on the Government to enable young people of all backgrounds to be able to afford their higher education.","date":"2008-03-26","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35357","proposer":"10304","edm":"1137","session":"2007-08","title":"Voice Of The Future 2008","text":"That this House congratulates the Royal Society of Chemistry on organising Voice of the Future 2008 on 11th March at the House and on its continuing commitment to serve the public interest by seeking to improve the access of hon. Members to scientific information and a better understanding of science; notes that Voice of the Future 2008 is taking place during National Science and Engineering Week and involves young scientists and engineers from all over the UK, members of the UK Youth Parliament and A-level science students from Holland Park School, Wallington High School, Trinity School and St Olave's School; further notes that the event will be addressed by the Minister for Science and Innovation and will also feature a special Science Question Time with hon. Members on the Select Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills; applauds the involvement in this event of many of the UK's greatest science and engineering organisations including the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Biology, the Biosciences Federation, the Science Council, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Geological Society, the Royal Astronomical Society and many other organisations including the Campaign for Science and Engineering; welcomes the expertise and assistance that these eminent bodies can give to Parliament; and further welcomes the contribution that Voice of the Future 2008 can make to building and maintaining a constructive dialogue between Parliament and the younger generation of scientists and engineers on scientific and technological issues.","date":"2008-03-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35269","proposer":"10190","edm":"1070","session":"2007-08","title":"Host UK","text":"That this House salutes the excellent work by HOST UK which has enabled more than 35,000 international students over the past 20 years to live in a British family; welcomes the fact that this scheme allows international students to understand first hand British culture and beliefs; is dismayed at the recent decision by the Government to withdraw its funding to HOST UK, without which the charity cannot survive; and calls upon the Government to look again at the withdrawal of HOST UK's funding and to re-instate the \u00c2\u00a3140,000 per annum needed to keep HOST UK financially viable.","date":"2008-02-27","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"35149","proposer":"11672","edm":"956","session":"2007-08","title":"Impact Of Tuition Fees On University Admissions","text":"That this House notes the research undertaken by the Sutton Trust on the impact of tuition fees on admissions into higher education; is deeply concerned, but not surprised, that this report shows that the current system of tuition and top-up fees has discouraged many pupils from poorer backgrounds from applying to university as a result of anxieties about debt; furthermore believes that the current system inherently favours pupils from more affluent backgrounds; fears this will lead to higher education increasingly becoming the preserve of the better off; and believes that the Government must now reconsider its policy on student finance, tuition fees and top-up fees before a generation of potential students from less well off backgrounds are discouraged from going into higher education.","date":"2008-02-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"34476","proposer":"10304","edm":"356","session":"2007-08","title":"Khaled Al-Mudallal And The Right To Education","text":"That this House is concerned at the situation facing Bradford University student Khaled Al-Mudallal who has been detained in Gaza since June 2007 as a result of restrictions on his movement imposed by Israeli authorities; notes that, according to Israeli human rights organisation Gisha, Mr Al-Mudallal is one of an estimated 670 students who have visas and places to study outside Gaza but have been prevented from leaving; further notes that Gisha is legally challenging the restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on Mr Al-Mudallal, and has pointed out `that Mr Al-Mudallal has not been able to leave Gaza, not because he has chosen not to, but because he is prevented from doing so'; recognises that Mr Al-Mudallal has a British residency permit allowing him to stay in the UK to study until 2010; believes that Mr Al-Mudallal should be allowed back to Bradford to complete his degree in business and management; and urges the Government to make representations to the Israeli government to allow Khaled's right to leave Gaza to continue his education at the University of Bradford and for the rights of all Palestinian students to access education.","date":"2007-11-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Students","id":"34370","proposer":"10436","edm":"263","session":"2007-08","title":"Student Loans","text":"That this House accepts the principle that young people from all levels of society should be encouraged to go into higher education; is therefore concerned to find that the interest payable on student loans has now doubled from 2.4 per cent. to 4.8 per cent.; considers that such a high level of interest was never envisaged when the student loan was tied to the Retail Price Index to bring it down; and has never been charged at such a high rate since then because the tie brought rates payable as low as 1.3 per cent. in 2002-03 and was regularly between 2.0 to 2.6 per cent.; notes that today's high rate of 4.8 per cent. will constitute a serious deterrent on taking on loans and will produce an arrears burden too heavy to bear by young people leaving college and university to start a life in today's debt burdened society; and therefore suggests that the interest charged on student loans should be either abolished as the New Zealand government has done or pegged at a maximum of one per cent. to give a fairer deal to students and maximise recruitment to higher education.","date":"2007-11-14","status":"c"}]