'High fees don't deter poor students'

A group of universities says that tuition fees do not deter poorer students from entering higher education.

"All the evidence shows that once a student from a poorer background gets those important A-level grades they are just as likely to go on to university," said Dr Wendy Piatt of the Russell Group of universities.

Dr Piatt said bad choices of GCSEs and A-levels were more likely to hold back poorer students.