Details of student finance review awaited, as poll shows people do not want fees raised

The details of an inquiry into university student fees in England will be announced today.

The government will outline the scope of the review and name the person who will lead it.

It is expected to be wide-ranging, looking at a range of funding options. It will not be completed until after the next election.

The inquiry will fulfil the government's promise of holding a review before making a decision on whether universities could raise fees from the present limit of £3,225 a year.

A survey for the National Union of Students suggested that only 12 per cent of those questioned wanted fee increases, while half of the 2,152 people surveyed said that the review group should consider abolishing fees.

Students have been protested against fee increases since the start of the university term.

There are no tuition fees in Scotland, while Welsh students studying in Wales pay £1,285. It has been reported that some university vice-chancellors want to raise fees to £7,000 a year.

Last wee, business secretary Lord Mandelson warned of a crisis in university finances, and said that institutions needed to raise more of their own funds. He said: "We will also have to look at the contribution that individuals make to the cost of higher education, which we will do through the independent fees review."

NUS president Wes Streeting said: "Students are already graduating with over £20,000 of debt, and in the current economic climate it is extremely arrogant to argue that they should pay even more. We believe the review must look at alternatives to the disastrous system of top up fees."

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