former university minister lord willetts said this would save £2 billion of public money every year. the university and college union has said it could deter young people from studying for a degree. and lord willetts, david willetts, former mp and now a conservative peerjoins us now. thank you for setting sufficiently and waiting, and our apologies if we need to interrupt this interview and go back to the old bailey. why do you believe threshold for repaying student loans in england should come down? the repaying student loans in england should come down? the argument is uraduates should come down? the argument is graduates to — should come down? the argument is graduates to more _ should come down? the argument is graduates to more than _ should come down? the argument is l graduates to more than non-graduates graduates to more than non—graduates and i want a healthy, vibrant, growing university system in britain. the best way of financing it is to expect graduates to pay back if they are any well paying job. we set the threshold back in 2012 and the good news is it did not deter young people from applying to university. applications grew. this