AS MANY AS 1 IN 3 YOUNG PEOPLE PUT OFF UNIVERSITY BY FEES AND DEBT

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 2nd Apr 2008

Leeds MP, Greg Mulholland, has backed calls in the House of Commons for the Government to take action to prevent young people being put off going to University by tuition fees and fears about debt.

Greg has signed Early Day Motion 1261, tabled by fellow Liberal Democrat MP Lorely Burt, which highlights the report by the UK Youth Parliament illustrating that the Government is not doing enough to ensure that young people from all backgrounds have access to Higher Education.

Commenting Greg said:

"It is a real concern that as many as 1 in 3 young people could be put off applying for university because of worries about fees and being lumbered with a mountain of debt.

"The Government is clearly not doing enough to ensure that all young people, particularly those from poorer backgrounds, feel like they have the option of entering Higher Education.

"Much more must be done, otherwise we could face huge numbers of young people from poorer backgrounds completely missing out on the chance to go to University."