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DUP MPs to vote against regressive University fees measures

Ahead of Thursday's vote in the House of Commons, the DUP Parliamentary party gave the following statement:

“DUP MPs will be voting against the Government today in an attempt to stop their ill thought out proposals to increase tuition fees which will have a detrimental impact on the growth of the NI economy and that of the whole of the United Kingdom. We recognise the importance of higher education which improves the skills base of our economy; attracts inward investment and promotes research and the opportunities that come from that and we must not put that at risk.

However not only will it have a detrimental impact on our economy but it will also put higher education out of the reach of many. Indeed the Government has clearly recognised that increasing fees will have a negative impact on those from less well of backgrounds and will make them more reluctant to take up higher education opportunities. This is not acceptable. Our view is that people should obtain higher education not on their ability to pay but on their academic ability.

Any decision made at Westminster will of course affect Northern Ireland policy and there have already been financial consequences and a budget reduction of tens of millions of pounds based on the assumption that this bill will be passed by the House of Commons tonight. People in Northern Ireland should be mindful of the fact that had our own Employment and Learning Minister been successful in his bid to be elected as a UCUNF MP he would have been whipped in to supporting these regressive measures.

We believe that investment in Higher Education is of strategic importance to the growth of our economy and if there is a funding problem we should first of all look at how the cost of universities themselves can be trimmed. Inflated costs must not be passed onto students but instead universities should look at how they can be more efficient and how they can trim wasteful expenditure and some areas of spending.

I hope that more Tories and Liberal Democrats join us in opposing this increase in fees.”

LET'S KEEP NORTHERN IRELAND MOVING FORWARD - Conference 2010

Many young members of the DUP attended the annual Party Conference at La Mon Hotel, Castlereagh. Of particular interest was one of the lunchtime workshops on offer entitled 'Young Political Leadership - A View from the Front Line', in which a panel including the chairmen of Queen's DUA and University of Ulster DUP and Councillors Alison Brimstone, Gavin Robinson and Sharon Skillen each shared some of their personal political experiences and gave their views on the role of young people in the Party.

Delegates also heard panel discussions and speeches from Sammy Wilson MP MLA, Arlene Foster MLA, Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Rt. Hon. Nigel Dodds MP and our leader, Rt. Hon. Peter Robinson MLA.

View photos from the conference here.

View the pre-conference Party Political Broadcast here.

DUA at Queen's Service of Remembrance

Several officers of the Democratic Unionist Association attended the Remembrance Ceremony at the War Memorial at Queen's on Remembrance Sunday. The Chairman laid a wreath on behalf of the association, as did representatives of other University organisations.

"In remembrance of those who laid down their lives in two world wars and subsequent conflicts in defence of our freedoms. Also in tribute to the brave men and women of the RUC, UDR, RIR and PSNI in protecting Ulster."

View photos from Remembrance Sunday here.

Wilson questions Minister on university fees

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson questioned the Universities Minister, David Willets, regarding tuition fees on Wednesday in the House of Commons. Sammy Wilson said:

“The Government says that it is committed to a better deal for students, but an increase in cost of 100% does not seem like a good deal to me.

I asked the Minister what steps he intends to take to ensure that universities do not just put up fees but first look at how they can reduce the cost of providing courses, which are in some cases excessive.

I was pleased to hear that the Minister agreed with the point that I had made, and that he said that pressure will be put on universities to ensure that efficiencies are made before tuition fees are increased.

I hope that this will be the case, and I will continue to press the Minister to ensure that that pressure is applied.

Many of my constituents are understandably very concerned about the rising cost of university education and I hope that universities will seriously consider how they can be more efficient rather than just see fee increases as an answer to reduced government funding.”