But he also recommended that maintenance grants be retained. His report was commissioned by the Tories but was delivered to the Labour government. In 1997 the government introduced tuition fees, means tested to exempt poorer students. Mature student numbers have fallen. There is also sketchy but emerging evidence in a survey that debt aversion is deterring poorer students.
Details have yet to be finalised but the broad outlines are in place.
Maintenance grants will be reintroduced, possibly for all students but by far the most likely option is that they will be means tested. Loans will stay in place, though play less of a role. Tuition fees may be scrapped. But all future graduates will pay more in tax. Graduates who earn more money after university will effectively subsidise those who pay less.