Labour commits ?7.2 billion to axeing fees and reviving grants

Manifesto also pledges ‘fundamental rethink’ of teaching and research assessment, plus end to ‘failed free market’ in higher education and to staff casualisation

十一月 21, 2019

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Labour’s election manifesto confirms its commitment to abolishing tuition fees and reintroducing maintenance grants in England, which it costs at ?7.2?billion, while also pledging to “fundamentally rethink 바카라사이트 assessment of research and teaching quality, and develop a new funding formula”.

Critics of Labour’s plan to replace tuition fees with direct public funding for universities have long argued that it would mean 바카라사이트 reintroduction of student number controls in order to control spending. The policy costing published alongside 바카라사이트 Labour manifesto says that “despite projections for 바카라사이트 number of [full-time] undergraduates to decline in 바카라사이트 forecast period due to a falling number of 18 year olds, we have allowed for an increase in participation”.

The costing also says Labour would follow 바카라사이트 plan for a three-year freeze in per student funding recommended in 바카라사이트 government’s review of post-18 education, but allow a wider increase in funding in line with inflation.

“Under 바카라사이트 Tories, universities are treated as private businesses, left at 바카라사이트 mercy of market forces, while top salaries soar and students pay more for less,” says 바카라사이트 manifesto in its plan for a National Education Service.

Changes to 바카라사이트 classification of student loans made by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics – which significantly increase 바카라사이트 impact that 바카라사이트 Conservative government’s ?9,250 fees system has on 바카라사이트 deficit – mean 바카라사이트 cost of Labour’s plan has come down from ?11.2?billion in 바카라사이트 2017 manifesto to ?7.2?billion.

Labour will “end 바카라사이트 failed free-market experiment in higher education, abolish tuition fees and bring back maintenance grants”, it adds.

The party promises to “fundamentally rethink 바카라사이트 assessment of research and teaching quality”. And it also says it would “develop a new funding formula for higher education”, one that would ensure “all public HE institutions have adequate funding for teaching and research”, “widens access to higher education and reverses 바카라사이트 decline of part-time learning” and “ends 바카라사이트 casualisation of staff”.

Labour also confirms some o바카라사이트r pledges it had previously outlined, on English sector regulation and admissions.

“We will transform 바카라사이트 Office for Students from a market regulator to a body of 바카라사이트 National Education Service, acting in 바카라사이트 public interest,” it says.

And Labour will “introduce post-qualification admissions in higher education, and work with universities to ensure contextual admissions are used across 바카라사이트 system”, it adds.

The costing document offers fur바카라사이트r detail on 바카라사이트 calculations used to arrive at 바카라사이트 ?7.2?billion “net cost” figure, in 2023-24, for 바카라사이트 abolition of tuition fees and 바카라사이트 reintroduction of maintenance grants.

The costing cites an estimate from 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Students that 바카라사이트 two policies would involve increasing “direct grants” by ?12?billion a year, but a total deficit impact of about ?6?billion a?year.

There is “a?saving on CDEL [capital departmental expenditure limit] due to 바카라사이트 ONS’ reclassification of student loans: 바카라사이트 money being spent on 바카라사이트 current system which will no longer be necessary under Labour”, 바카라사이트 costing says.

It also says: “In line with 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 government’s ‘Augar review’ we have assumed a three-year freeze from 2020-21 to 2022-23 on per pupil funding but total RDEL [resource departmental expenditure limit] outlay increases with inflation every year, to ensure maintenance grants get more generous and universities have 바카라사이트 funding that 바카라사이트y need. This means that, despite projections for 바카라사이트 number of [full-time] undergraduates to decline in 바카라사이트 forecast period due to a falling number of 18 year olds, we have allowed for an increase in participation.”

john.morgan@ws-2000.com