Students in Wales could face higher fees from September 2007

In Wales the bill will give the assembly government the power to decide whether or not universities can charge higher fees here. BBC Wales education correspondent Colette Hume explains what the changes will mean for people in Wales.

What happened in the Commons on Thursday?

The Westminster Education Secretary Charles Clarke unveiled the Higher Education Bill.

Universities will be given the power to charge up to �3,000 a year for courses providing they fulfil a set of criteria including widening access to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Students will pay their tuition fees back once they have graduated and are earning �15,000 a year.

What's going to be the situation here in Wales?

The bill proposes separate powers for Wales, allowing what is called a "transfer of functions" with regard to two key areas:

1. The decision on whether or not to charge higher fees

2. Student support, which means grants and bursaries.

In a nutshell this means the UK Government is planning to let Wales decide for itself whether or not to have variable fees at its universities and what kind of student support, in the shape of grants or other funding, it might want to provide.

The assembly currently gives grants of up to �1,500 to the poorest families in the form of the Learning Grant.

So what will the assembly government do?

Well, it's already said in its manifesto that there would be no additional fees at Welsh universities in the life of this assembly government. That ends in April 2007 - just six months after fees are due to be introduced in England.

When the Bill receives Royal Assent and becomes law, Professor Teresa Rees will conduct an independent review. She will be asked to determine whether or not Welsh universities should charge variable fees and what kind of grants and bursaries - if any - should be made available to students.

Her findings will form the basis for the assembly government's final decision.

What does this all mean for young people going to university in the next few years?

If you or your child is 16 or younger there is a chance that they will have to pay higher fees for some courses.

The bill is expected to become law next year and universities in England will be able to charge higher fees from September 2006.

The earliest universities in Wales could potentially charge higher fees would be September 2007.

Welsh students who go to university in England will have to pay higher fees if the course they wanted to study charges them - even if the Welsh assembly decides that universities here cannot charge more.

Is it likely that Welsh universities will eventually charge higher fees?

It's difficult to imagine that they won't.

If they can't charge more for some courses the assembly would have to help them in the face of competition from English universities - and where will the money come from?

Would the assembly have enough money to fulfil all its other obligation to health, education and the other big priorities as well as support students by keeping fees down?

Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain has warned the assembly government that if it does not introduce fees, it will have to make up the shortfall in funding from other budgets.

How will Welsh MPs vote?

Eighteen of the 34 Welsh Labour MPs have signed an Early Day Motion opposing the Bill.

They are: Huw Edwards, Kevin Brennan, Mark Tami, Ian Lucas, Hywel Francis, Alan Williams, Ann Clwyd, Albert Owen, Paul Flynn, Jon Owen Jones, Dai Havard, Julie Morgan, Win Griffiths, Denzil Davies, Betty Williams, John Smith, Martin Caton, and Llew Smith

The Clwyd South MP Martyn Jones, who originally signed the motion, now says he will support the government's plans.

To buy off all the rebels, the government has drawn up a series of concessions, including maintenance grants and bursaries.

These will be offered to students whose homes are in England. Wales will get a percentage of the cost of these schemes.

It will be for the assembly government to design its own package of student support using the extra money.