MP WARNS THAT TUITION FEES INCREASE WILL HIT GUILDFORD HARD

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 12th Jan 2004

Sue Doughty today warned that increases in student debt will hit Guildford hard. She said:

"In an area where the cost of living sees us lose 25% of our teachers each year; increases in debt will result in even greater recruitment problems, not only in schools but across the board in public services.

"How will we recruit good graduates to jobs in Guildford with its high cost of housing when they will already be burdened with high levels of debt. This whole plan has not been thought through.

"This area is part of the economic powerhouse of the United Kingdom, if we can't recruit the people we need, this could cause major problems in the future."