UNIVERSITIES must focus on value for money and improving access for applicants from less privileged backgrounds, MPs say in a report published today.

It follows reports last week that the Tories are considering plans to cut students’ annual tuition fees from £9,250 to £6,500 for some courses, but with much higher fees for subjects such as medicine and science that could lead to higher earnings.

Today’s Commons education committee report says that universities must tackle the issue of excessive vice-chancellor pay, which it says have become the norm.

Tory committee chairman Robert Halfon said: “The blunt reality is that too many universities are not providing value for money and that students are not getting good outcomes from the degrees for which so many of them rack up debt.

“Too many institutions are neither meeting our skills needs or providing the means for the disadvantaged to climb the ladder of opportunity.”

Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said that any plans to fiddle with tuition fees is not the “radical change” that is needed.

She urged the government to match Labour’s commitment to abolish fees and bring back maintenance grants so that everyone, whatever their background, can succeed at university.

She added: “The Tories trebled tuition fees and scrapped maintenance grants, leaving the most disadvantaged students with over £57,000 worth of debt when they graduate.

“It is no wonder there are concerns that students do not get value for money.

“The number of part-time and mature students plummeted after the Tories trebled fees, yet they are doing nothing to support the many learners who have been shut out by the current system.”