My honourable friend the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education (Bill Rammell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The level of support for loans, grants and fees that will be available to eligible students in the 2007-08 academic year will be 2.33 per cent higher than for 2006-07, in line with forecast price increases.

For students who have entered higher education on or after 1 September 2006 and are being charged variable fees, the maximum fee payable will increase from £3,000 to £3,070 in 2007-08. The increase to the fee will be matched by a corresponding increase to the loan for fees that students can take out.

For students who are not being charged variable fees (primarily students who entered higher education before 1 September 2006), the maximum fee payable will increase from £1,200 to £1,225.

The increased fee amounts have been authorised by the Student Fees (Amounts) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006, which will come into force on 1 September 2007.

I am placing a memorandum in the Library giving details of all the increased loan, grant and fee rates for 2007-08. These rates are being incorporated in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2007, which will be laid before Parliament in due course.