Once gone, St Benet's Hall will be impossible to replace, writes alumnus Damian Collins MP

Like all current and former students of St Benet’s Hall I was distressed to read the statement from the Master this week that the Hall may no longer hold a licence from the University of Oxford beyond the current academic year. This would bring to an end the 125-year history of St Benet’s as the home of the Benedictine community in Oxford, and as a centre for Catholic education. I am proud to have been part of that tradition in my three years as an undergraduate in the mid 1990s. It was then a smaller institution, based in one building and only accepting male students. I was delighted though to have seen St Benet’s expand over the last few years, acquire new buildings and accept women students, a welcome and necessary reform.