Hopeful Blair plugs access plan

In a wide-ranging speech setting out his government's case for re-election this spring, prime minister Tony Blair said today that there would be £2,000 bursaries for students from poor families, a doubling of the cash universities get for recruiting such students, and an expansion of summer schools designed to encourage university applicants from state schools. There is also a new deal with universities to put resources into state school recruitment. The plans are the government's response to a critical report on university access from the Commons education select committee.