{"links":{"self":"https://preview.epetitions.website/archived/petitions/4592.json"},"data":{"type":"archived-petition","id":4592,"parliament":{"period":"2010-2015","government":"Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition","dissolution_at":"2015-03-30T23:59:59.000+01:00","response_threshold":10000,"debate_threshold":100000},"attributes":{"action":"Request for a further debate on the new student fee regime and proposed higher education reforms","background":null,"additional_details":"When parliament approved the changes to raise student tuition fees, they did so based on assurances that fees above £7,500 would be only approved in “exceptional circumstances”.\r\n\r\nNow that OFFA has approved the fee structures from universities, most universities propose to charge the maximum fee of £9,000 for most courses, the average fee across the sector is around £8200. By what definition of the term “exceptional circumstances” can this be justified?\r\n\r\nUniversities charging £9000 do so by providing fee waivers and other subsidies to students from poorer families. Should students from poorer backgrounds need financial support, this should come via grants for living costs as students not in fee waivers.\r\n\r\nThe HE reforms to introduce marketisation will have the inevitable consequences of reducing the provision for Science, Technology and Engineering subjects. This will have immense economic consequences. Regulation must ensure this does not occur.","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":1,"created_at":"2011-08-05T11:17:14.000Z","updated_at":"2020-02-16T19:26:34.847Z","rejected_at":"2017-06-21T12:33:07.137Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2011-08-05T11:17:14.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"rejection":{"code":"duplicate","details":null},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}