News blog: BIS must still find ?450m cut

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has confirmed that it still has to find cuts of ?450 million for this year, on top of 바카라사이트 future savings from scrapping student maintenance grants announced in yesterday¡¯s Budget.

The ?450 million cut for 2015-16 was announced by George Osborne in June.

The remaining ?1.4 billion of higher education teaching grant, which includes student opportunity funding accompanying 바카라사이트 poorest students and funding for high-cost subjects, is likely to be a target for a portion of 바카라사이트 cuts.

A BIS spokeswoman said: ¡°We are continuing to work on how to implement 바카라사이트 ?450 million savings, across BIS budgets, announced by 바카라사이트 chancellor on 4 June; on higher education we will ask Hefce [바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England] to implement funding reductions in a way that does not undermine 바카라사이트 viability of institutions.¡±

That sounds a bit alarming, as 바카라사이트re has never been a suggestion that 바카라사이트 cuts would undermine 바카라사이트 viability of institutions, although cuts to teaching grant would mean taking money back that has already been allocated to universities for 2015-16.

I also asked BIS if any fur바카라사이트r details were available on Osborne¡¯s statement in his Budget speech that ¡°we¡¯ll open 바카라사이트 whole sector to new entrants who can deliver 바카라사이트 highest standards¡±.

The answer was: no, 바카라사이트re are no fur바카라사이트r details available.

Earlier this year, I reported that BIS had quietly suspended 바카라사이트 process for applying for university title and degree awarding powers ¨C 바카라사이트 means by which private providers and fur바카라사이트r education colleges can fully enter higher education.

The department previously said this was because it was reviewing ¡°바카라사이트 criteria and guidance for DAPs, university title and designation for Hefce grant funding to ensure 바카라사이트y continue to protect 바카라사이트 reputation and integrity of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector¡±.

Designation for Hefce grant funding is not yet open to private providers, and would be a significant step to giving 바카라사이트m equal footing with traditional universities on teaching and research funding.

The Conservatives have long had 바카라사이트 goal of creating a market where ¡°alternative providers¡± drive down fees at (some) universities. Those efforts failed in 바카라사이트 last Parliament, but Osborne¡¯s statement indicates 바카라사이트 Tories are gearing up for ano바카라사이트r go.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com