A former government minister criticised Oxford University for providing free lunches for its college dons as students face a massive hike in tuition fees.

Labour’s David Lammy was referring to the practice by colleges of laying on free meals for professors, readers and tutors. Many colleges are also thought to supply free wine from their cellars.

Such “antiquated practices” should end, particularly as Oxford is likely to increase tuition fees to the maximum amount of £9,000, the MP for Tottenham.

Speaking at Question Time in the Commons, Mr Lammy, who was a Higher Education minister in the last government said: “Is it right that Oxford fellows get a free lunch on the taxpayer?”

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts replied: “I think in this House we have to be careful about free lunches. I don’t know about the specific arrangements in Oxford.

“It is absolutely true, we are entitled to expect universities to make efficiency savings, to do more contracting out, they should hold down their pensions cost.

“There is a lot more universities should do to hold down their costs.”