YESTERDAY’S bill going through Parliament is likely to treble fees for most university students, taking them from £3,000 to £9,000 a year.

When added to living expenses, this will bring the average cost of a three-year university education to £40,000 plus.

The chief effect of such a huge potential debt will be to deter hundreds of thousands of prospective students from entering higher education at all.

And those brave enough to do so will be faced with a debt they may not be able to pay off until they are middle aged.

Of course, those with wealthy parents will be able to pay it off immediately and escape interest charges.

It has been said that graduates will earn more in later life, and that because of these increased salaries, they should pay society back for their education.

This is fair enough within reason, though the majority of graduates do not earn greatly inflated salaries. Moreover, it is not only they who benefit from their education but the country as a whole.

The economic fortunes of a nation are largely related to its level of education.

Another argument put forward is that the country simply cannot afford to keep fees down. I notice, however, that there was no difficulty recently in quickly finding the money to bail out the Irish banks.

Nor, as far as I know, is the government intending any significant taxation of bank bonuses in this country.

At this moment, a few highly privileged men, who have enjoyed the most expensive private education that money can buy, are intent in denying one to the vast majority of youngsters from ordinary homes.

Many parents in Weymouth and Portland, and throughout Dorset, will now be asking themselves whether or not they can afford to give their son or daughter a fair chance in life.

Sadly, for many, the answer will be: ‘No’.

Dr Alan Chedzoy, Past member of the Dorset County Council Education Committee, Spa Road, Weymouth