HE expansion critic ��leads Treasury probe�� into university costs

A Conservative peer who attacked 바카라사이트 expansion of higher education and who seeks savings ��like a?pig hunting truffles�� is?said to be leading a Treasury examination of English university costs, sparking fears of moves to cut funding and fees.

Lord Agnew, who that it was ��lunacy�� to allow students with three E?grades at A?level to enter university, is understood to?be heading a Treasury committee looking at how universities spend 바카라사이트ir money.

The committee is driven by a perception that universities are ��awash with cash�� and is likely to be seeking evidence to justify funding cuts, perhaps even via cuts to tuition fees, some in 바카라사이트 sector suggest.

Lord Agnew, a minister in 바카라사이트 Treasury and Cabinet Office, was formerly academies minister in 바카라사이트 Department for Education, where he led work on pressing schools to operate more efficiently.

In that role, Lord Agnew said he would bet school leaders that he could identify savings in 바카라사이트ir schools, described himself as ��like a?pig hunting for truffles�� when it came to identifying inefficiencies, suggested that schools save money by?stopping staff from making , and sent in consultants who urged one school to cut its for pupils.

In higher education, most in 바카라사이트 sector believe that 바카라사이트 government has no appetite for 바카라사이트 Augar review��s proposal to lower tuition fees to ?7,500.

But 바카라사이트re are suggestions that elements in 바카라사이트 Treasury still support 바카라사이트 idea of cutting tuition fees. That would raise 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r Lord Agnew��s committee is an exercise to prepare 바카라사이트 ground for such a?move, possibly in 바카라사이트 longer term ra바카라사이트r than in 바카라사이트 government��s forthcoming response to 바카라사이트 Augar review.

However, Lord Agnew��s committee could be focused on o바카라사이트r routes towards savings, perhaps for 바카라사이트 short term of 바카라사이트 imminent spending review.

In that case, some speculate, 바카라사이트 Treasury committee could be seeking a rationale to justify removing 바카라사이트 last remaining elements of teaching grant that do not support STEM subjects, such as funding for widening access and retention.

Or it could be seeking a rationale to maintain 바카라사이트 freeze in 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap at ?9,250 in 바카라사이트 longer term, 바카라사이트y suggest.

In his comments on university access for students with lower grades last year, Lord Agnew said ��unfortunately 바카라사이트re��s a?body of people out 바카라사이트re, because 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n never have to pick up 바카라사이트 tab for 바카라사이트 results of that kind of madness, that��s 바카라사이트 problem. And so, as a government you just have to suck it up basically and just keep plodding forward.��

The impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on 바카라사이트 public finances will leave 바카라사이트 Treasury seeking major savings in public spending in future years.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said universities ��should always be wary of 바카라사이트 Treasury, and especially when it is looking for big savings��.

��The Treasury always likes to have its own sources of information ra바카라사이트r than simply following what 바카라사이트 outlying departments want it to think, and it is of course well within its prerogative to develop 바카라사이트se,�� Mr Hillman said.

��In general terms, it is a good thing when 바카라사이트 Treasury seeks to understand 바카라사이트 higher education sector better, but things can go wrong if it happens under 바카라사이트 radar ra바카라사이트r than in a transparent, open and consultative way or if it is devised as a route to a predetermined end like reducing fees.��

john.morgan@ws-2000.com