Tory leader in attack on offbeat university courses

MICHAEL Howard went on the offensive yesterday against "gimmicky" university courses such as golf management, which he claimed served no useful purpose for undergraduates.

The Tory leader was speaking on a visit to Edinburgh when he was challenged about the problem of funding and student numbers in higher education.

Some academics and politicians have claimed that the real problem is not a lack of resources, but the government’s target for 50 per cent of all those aged under 30 to experience higher education.

Mr Howard said he would like to see a reduction in the number of off-beat courses which universities offer in increasing numbers, claiming the students involved would be better off gaining practical experience.

He used the example of golf management, which has recently been introduced as a BA course at Birmingham University.

Students wanting to study it need to have two A-levels at grade C or better and, apparently, a handicap of four or better.

Mr Howard said: "My view is that everyone who can benefit from a university education should get one, but there are some courses that are more practical, and people who want to be involved in golf management might find their time better spent on the course rather than writing essays."

The Tory leader also acknowledged that, if the Tories were to win the election, their "patient passport" reforms to the health service might have to be confined to England and Wales, as the party was not in power in devolved Scotland.

"It might be that we would have to limit that to England and Wales. That is something we would have to think about," Mr Howard said.

"But that state of affairs is no different from the fact that, if the government continues to get a majority for its proposals, top-up fees will be payable in England but not Scotland."

Mr Howard was speaking ahead of the Tory spring conference where Tim Yeo, the shadow health and education secretary, will announce an extension of the patient passports scheme.

This is one of the cornerstones of the Conservatives’ health reforms and Mr Yeo wants to include the 17 million people in Britain who suffer from long-term conditions, such as bronchitis, asthma, diabetes or kidney disease.

The passport scheme, which will allow individuals to opt for private treatment with the NHS, paying 60 per cent of the cost, was originally planned to assist those with acute conditions.

Mr Yeo will argue that those with long-term conditions should not be neglected.

The party’s final national conference before the European elections will also hear from Liam Fox, the co-chairman of the Conservatives, who will claim the Tories are the most meritocratic of the three main parties.