Lib Dem Victory as Government Mind the Gap Year - Brooke

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Jun 2004

Commenting on the Government's U-turn on gap years on the final day of the HE Bill in the Commons, Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole and

Member of the Education team, said:

"I am delighted that the Government has finally accepted the Liberal Democrat argument which argued that a failure to provide a fees concession for those young people wanting to take a gap year in 2005 would have been deeply damaging to students, gap year organisations and universities.

"Just two weeks ago the Government was denying there was any need for a concession. But since then a Liberal Democrats survey of sixth formers across the country revealed that there was a very real problem, so it is good that the Government has changed its mind."

"A gap year is an excellent opportunity for many students to get valuable life experience before university, and many young people benefit greatly from a year out, be it working, travelling or volunteering. The government's policy on top-up fees really will dissuade many young people from this important opportunity."

In recent visits to the Sixth Forms at both Lytchett Minster School and Parkstone Grammar School, Annette Brooke MP circulated a survey about 'gap years' to students who had plans to go to university, and received over 80 replies to the questionnaire.

Of the sample from Mid Dorset, 36% of those who participated in the survey said that they decided not to take a gap year because of the prospect of paying higher fees and a further 36% say that they are less likely to take a gap year for the same reason.

Of those thinking about taking a gap year, 80% say that top-up fees make it less likely that they will do so.

Of those who considered taking a gap year but decided not to do so, 50% of the sample said that top-up fees were the reason for their decision and a further 25% said that the introduction of top-up fees was a factor.

The Government say that the advantages of the new fees regime constitute an incentive for young people to take a gap year in 2005 because they will want to enter university under the new arrangements. Only one person who had decided to take a gap year gave this as a reason (1% of the total sample).