Poorer UK students to get some university tuition free

Thousands of aspiring British university students from poorer backgrounds could have up to two years of their tuition fees paid for them under plans unveiled by the government on Sunday amidst criticism over spending cuts.
Universities Minister David Willetts said up to 20,000 students could get support for their fees from a new fund which should "absolutely" allay student concerns about fee rises.
Lawmakers are to vote on Thursday on controversial plans to triple tuition fees in England to a maximum of 9,000 pounds a year. The austerity step would help slash government spending by 19% over the next four years.
The vote is seen as the first major test of the coalition government's cohesion and ability to deliver on tough cost-cutting measures since it took power seven months ago.
Under the new scheme, any student eligible for free school meals who is accepted for a place at university would have one year's fees paid by the government.
Universities which choose to charge more than 6,000 pounds a year in fees will be required to fund a further year's tuition for these students.
The state's share of funding for the scheme will be covered by a 150 mln pound National Scholarship Programme already announced.
Willetts told BBC television there were plenty of "very good features" of its student finance package on fees and that there was no reason why students should be so concerned.
But Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, criticised the plans.
"We suspect this will have a very limited impact at a time when debt will be so huge for those leaving our universities," he said in a statement. Opposition leader Ed Miliband compared the fee rises to "cultural vandalism" in a newspaper interview.
The tuition fees issue has split the Liberal Democrats, the junior partner in the Conservative-led coalition, and drawn thousands of student onto the streets in protest nationwide.
Three demonstrations in central London triggered some violence and a fourth march is planned in the capital on Wednesday, the eve of the parliamentary vote.
The left-leaning Lib Dems promised to phase out tuition fees during the general election campaign and are split over how to vote on the issue. University students, school pupils and some of the party's rank and file say they feel betrayed.
The vote will be a test of Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's nerve and authority. It is unlikely to bring down the government but could strain the coalition and damage Clegg's standing within his own ranks. Some 40 Lib Dem MPs in the 650-seat parliament would have to rebel to defeat the bill.