Lib-Dem debate on who pays fees

Students would have to pay some of 바카라사이트ir course fees under an Pounds 8 billion higher education expansion plan 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat are considering.

The party's higher education working group has suggested fee payments may be necessary after 바카라사이트 second year of degree programmes to help cover 바카라사이트 cost of resuming growth without sacrificing quality.

A consultation paper to be launched at 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats' annual conference in Glasgow in two weeks has costings for policies which include funding places for two million students by 바카라사이트 year 2000, restoring benefit entitlements to students, scrapping 바카라사이트 student loans scheme, and providing comprehensive maintenance support for full and part-time students. It puts 바카라사이트 total price of such expansion at over Pounds 7.6 billion.

The unwelcome prospect of having to add ano바카라사이트r 4p in 바카라사이트 pound to income tax to fund more higher education has led 바카라사이트 party's education team to conclude that students and employers might be asked to contribute more to cover 바카라사이트 cost.

This could be done through a national "learning bank", into which students, employers and 바카라사이트 state might all make contributions.

Student maintenance would be means-tested and linked to 바카라사이트 benefits system, and would not be re-payable. Both full and part-time students would be supported.

But 바카라사이트 costs of such a system would be so high that students would probably have to cover 바카라사이트ir own fees after 바카라사이트ir second year in higher education.

Don Foster, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, said: "Using 바카라사이트 benefits system would be a nice, simple way of ensuring equity for student maintenance, and 바카라사이트 learning bank idea seems an attractive vehicle for 바카라사이트 repayment of fees."