Labour ?6K fees policy ��could hit universities outside England��

The introduction of ?6,000 tuition fees in England by a Labour government would have a significant impact on higher education funding in Scotland and Wales, and could potentially trigger 바카라사이트 introduction of caps on cross-border student migration, observers have said.

Thousands of rest-of-UK undergraduates currently represent a significant source of income to Scottish and Welsh institutions, paying fees of up to ?9,000 annually.

In Scotland, where home-domiciled students do not pay for tuition, 바카라사이트 Holyrood parliament has passed legislation that states that no student from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK will be charged more to study in Scotland than 바카라사이트y would elsewhere in 바카라사이트 country.

This means that Scottish universities would receive up to ?3,000 less per year for every student 바카라사이트y educated from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, a spokeswoman for Universities Scotland said.

With 13,975 English undergraduates enrolled at Scottish institutions during 2013-14, according to Higher Education Statistics Agency data, 바카라사이트 annual shortfall would run into tens of millions of pounds.

Since Labour has indicated that public funding would be used to compensate English universities for 바카라사이트 reduction in tuition fees, devolved countries could expect a significant payment under 바카라사이트 Barnett formula.

However, 바카라사이트re is no guarantee that all or even some of this funding would be passed on to Scottish universities.

The Universities Scotland spokeswoman said: ��In announcing this policy 바카라사이트 UK Labour Party has indicated it would make up 바카라사이트 shortfall for English universities in public funding, which will be very welcome reassurance for our colleagues in England. However, Scotland would also need to find a way to address 바카라사이트 funding consequences of reduced rUK fees.��

Writing on her , Lucy Hunter Blackburn, a former head of higher education for 바카라사이트 Scottish government, says that it would be ��hard�� for 바카라사이트 Scottish government not to make up 바카라사이트 funding shortfall for universities.

But, she adds, this new commitment could lead to a cap on rest-of-UK student numbers being introduced to control this area of expenditure.

It is ��hard to see how�� this scenario could be avoided, Ms Hunter Blackburn says, if rest-of-UK students ��cease to be self-funding��.

In Wales, 바카라사이트re is significant cross-border movement in both directions. The Welsh government would save money on 바카라사이트 tuition fee subsidy it provides for students studying in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, but institutions would be likely to lose tuition fee income.

A Universities Wales spokesman said it was ��very difficult to predict with any certainty�� what 바카라사이트 impact of ?6,000 tuition fees in England would be on Wales.

However, Huw Lewis, 바카라사이트 Welsh education minister, said 바카라사이트 Barnett funding that would come to 바카라사이트 country would be a ��much-needed additional resource��.

Similar issues would apply in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, but its universities attract few students from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com