‘Give students refunds for strike action’

STUDENTS should get compensation if their education is disrupted by strikes, the universities minister has suggested.

Sam Gyimah said it was up to individual institutions whether they paid compensation but students had rights that must be taken into account.

The University and College Union is planning industrial action starting on February 22 in a dispute over pensions. Mr Gyimah told the BBC: ‘By virtue of the fact students pay fees for their education they have consumer rights and I want universities to respect those consumer rights under consumer law and that includes compensation where they are losing out on their courses.’

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt accused universities of doing nothing to avert strike action over pensions.