ROGER Williams MP will ‘certainly’ be voting against any rise in student tuition fees in Westminster today Thursday, December 8.
Before the election Mr Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire joined dozens of Liberal Democrat MPs, in signing a pledge promising not to raise tuition fees, currently capped at £3,375.
Although Mr Williams is voting against a rise in fees, which would see students pay double what they are now, he claims that he is not doing so because of the pledge.
“I am certainly going to vote against the increase unless there is a major change in the government’s position,” he said.
“I am not doing it in line of the pledge, I am doing it in line of policy. It does not give youngsters from families with more modest incomes the intention to go to university. It does not give universities a certainty to plan for quality courses.”
Mr Williams also says that he will not have any bad feeling towards his party colleagues who vote in favour of the increase.
“I think every member is making their decision on the basis of the policy issues. I think the public expect politicians to make up their minds on policy issues. I’ve got no rancour with colleagues that have to come to other decisions.”
The politician, serving his third term as MP for the constituency, knows that voting against the rise will not make him the most popular politician in the Liberal Democrat Party. He added: “I’m not going to be top of the pops in the party.”
The rise in fees could see students pay £6,000, or £9,000 if the university can meet certain criteria. However Welsh students will be immune to the rise after the Welsh Assembly Government said last week that it would pay the difference for students domiciled in Wales, regardless of where in the UK they study.
In Wales basic tuition fees will rise to £6,000 per annum with some institutions being able to charge fees up to £9,000, providing they can demonstrate a commitment to widening access and other strategic objectives.
Education Minister, Leighton Andrews said last week: “We do not support full-cost or near full cost fees. We do not believe that higher education should be organised on the basis of a market.
“In the One Wales programme for government, we committed ourselves to do whatever is possible to mitigate the effects on Welsh-domiciled students should the cap on fees be lifted.
“We have a responsibility to Welsh-domiciled students, wherever they choose to study. We also have a responsibility to ensure that Wales benefits, economically, socially and culturally, from the investment that the Assembly Government makes in higher education in Wales.”