Ministers query medic debt claims

The BMA said studying medicine will become more of a struggle

The government has dismissed claims student doctors will face university debts of up to £64,000 if new top-up fees proposals go ahead.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke said the British Medical Association's sums were "flawed" and "excessive" but the body is standing by its figures.

The row erupted ahead of Tuesday's crunch vote, predicted to be one of the closest calls for this government.

Meanwhile the home secretary has warned backbenchers against rebelling.

'Disgruntled'

In an appeal to Labour MPs, David Blunkett said they would damage the government, the party's General Election prospects and universities if they voted against plans for variable university fees for England and Wales.

"Not only would we look divided, but we would be left without a policy to fund the expansion of university places," he said.

They indulge in double counting and ignore the increases in grants and bursaries that will be available Education Secretary Charles Clarke Top-up protesters march

Former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham blamed the rebellion on "disgruntled ministers" with "bruised egos".

The government wants to raise maximum annual tuition fees to £3,000 by 2006 from a current flat rate of £1,125.

Ministers have promised grants and bursaries for those from the poorest backgrounds.

As it sought support from MPs over the weekend, the government also tried to fight off the BMA's claims trainee doctors from all backgrounds would suffer.

A London student on a six-year course, and whose parents earned £30,000, could run up a £64,661 debt, the BMA says.

Serious consequences

Trainee doctor Fiona Pathiraja said: "It will put off a lot of good candidates applying for medicine and make studying more of a struggle than it already is."

The BMA says a third of medical students in the UK take courses lasting six years.

It calculates a student whose joint parental income was £15,000 could still leave university owing £51,642 if they studied in London, or £38,023 outside the city.

LONDON MEDICAL STUDENT Fees: 6 years @ £3,000 Student loans: £30,575 Loans for final 3 years: £4,048 Commercial loans: £8,154 Total: £60,777, plus interest GRAND TOTAL: £64,000 plus BMA estimates based on parental income of £30,000

Daniel Gibbons, deputy chairman of the BMA's medical students committee, said: "Medicine is already significantly more expensive than other courses, and our research shows that the problem would worsen with the introduction of top-up fees."

But Mr Clarke dismissed the way the figures had been calculated.

"They indulge in double counting and ignore the increases in grants and bursaries that will be available thanks to variable fees."

He said the government would provide means-tested bursaries and assistance with fees for medical students in their last two years.

The BMA said its figures assume all medical schools are likely to charge the full fee rate.

It said medical students study for 50 weeks a year in their last three years, compared to the 30-week year most students have to fund, giving them little opportunity to work for more money.

The BMA also pointed to the final work placement year, which costs an average of £2,000, and higher than average expenses for travel and equipment.

It calculated average expenditure from an e-mail poll of BMA medical students committee representatives, and used data published by the government and the Student Loans Company.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said the policy would have serious long-term consequences for the NHS.