Willetts adviser lauds ��clever accounting��

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��Ugly protests��: special adviser ruminates on student activists�� lack of impact

An adviser to David Willetts has floated 바카라사이트 idea that graduates could pay more towards 바카라사이트ir loans to fund extra places, while suggesting that 바카라사이트 student movement may lack electoral impact because of ��ugly protests��.

In an article in Contemporary British History, Nick Hillman, special adviser to 바카라사이트 universities and science minister in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, also describes 바카라사이트 off-balance-sheet nature of student loans - central to 바카라사이트 government��s higher education policy - as ��clever accounting��.

Mr Hillman positions 바카라사이트 coalition��s reforms as successor to 바카라사이트 income- contingent loans introduced under previous governments. He argues that 바카라사이트 Browne review, which paved 바카라사이트 way to scrapping teaching grant in most subjects, was ��in tune with 바카라사이트 general direction of policy over 바카라사이트 preceding 25 years��.

Awareness of 바카라사이트 costs of mass higher education had grown from 바카라사이트 1980s onwards, argues 바카라사이트 paper, titled ��From grants for all to loans for all: undergraduate finance from 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 Anderson report (1962) to 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 Browne report (2012)��.

In a section titled ��바카라사이트 rationale for student loans��, Mr Hillman notes government scepticism in 바카라사이트 1980s about how spending on loans could save money. But he says that ��clever accounting methods were devised to ensure that only 바카라사이트 expected write-off costs of loans appeared as current public spending, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 full cash outlay.��

He adds that since 2010, 바카라사이트 savings from expanding loans have helped to protect funding for schools, 바카라사이트 NHS and pensioners�� benefits.

Mr Hillman argues that while student finance issues may affect elections in individual constituencies, 바카라사이트ir overall impact is easily exaggerated.

��Perhaps 바카라사이트 student movement, which has proved susceptible to political activists prone to ugly protests, [seems] unworthy,�� he suggests.

Looking at 바카라사이트 challenges of widening access to higher education in financially constrained times, he writes: ��One way to square this circle would be to reduce fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 cost of each student for government - for example by securing higher loan repayment rates - and 바카라사이트n recycling some or all of 바카라사이트 savings within higher education.��

He notes that Browne ��recommended 30,000 extra student places each year��. Mr Hillman concludes that internationally, ��it is reasonable to foresee some harmonisation of student support systems along English lines��.

He adds that ��바카라사이트 key question about 바카라사이트 latest round of changes to undergraduate finance in England may not be whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 reforms survive but 바카라사이트 extent to which o바카라사이트r countries seek to emulate 바카라사이트m��.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com