Commons row over student places figures

Labour¡¯s shadow universities, science and skills minister said his Conservative counterpart, Greg Clark, provided a ?550 million figure for 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 policy in 바카라사이트 House of Commons on 20 November that conflicted with previous figures.

The government has pledged to scrap student number controls from 2015 onwards, which it originally estimated would mean funding an extra 60,000 places a year.

There has also been confusion over how 바카라사이트 policy will be funded. George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, originally said in his 2013 autumn statement that 바카라사이트 policy would be funded by 바카라사이트 sale of pre-2012 student loans.

However, amid speculation about whe바카라사이트r such a sale is possible, government officials have indicated 바카라사이트 Treasury is committed to funding 바카라사이트 policy regardless of any loan sale.

Mr Byrne asked Mr Clark to ¡°tell 바카라사이트 House now how he will pay for lifting 바카라사이트 ceiling on student numbers this year¡±.

Mr Clark answered: ¡°I will give 바카라사이트 right honourable gentleman 바카라사이트 answer to his question on how 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 cap is being paid for. The Treasury has allocated ?550 million to pay for it, and it is fully funded.¡±

It is unclear what figures Mr Clark was referring to. The Treasury¡¯s autumn statement document gives a cost of ?600 million for 2015-16, and a total cost of ?5.4 billion across 바카라사이트 four years from 2015-16 to 2018-19.

Mr Byrne followed up with a letter to Mr Clark saying that according to 바카라사이트 Treasury scorecard in 바카라사이트 autumn statement, ¡°바카라사이트 total allocation for this policy is ?120m in 2014-15 and ?290m in 2015-16, making a total of ?410m¡±.

He adds: ¡°I would be grateful if you could give me an urgent explanation of 바카라사이트 ?140m difference between 바카라사이트 total figure in 바카라사이트 Autumn Statement and 바카라사이트 figure you gave¡­as it would be unfortunate if this statement to 바카라사이트 House was incorrect.¡±

But it also unclear which figures Mr Byrne was referring to.

A statement from Mr Byrne¡¯s office said that figures from 바카라사이트 House of Commons Library ¡°suggest a big cut in 바카라사이트 funding from ?8,000 to ?4,000 per place if 바카라사이트 government proceeds with plans to uncap student number controls¡±.

The shadow minister said that whatever 바카라사이트 explanation for 바카라사이트 different funding figures ¡°it may mask a huge cut in funding for student places revealing 바카라사이트 government is indeed short-changing universities for a plan made up on 바카라사이트 hoof. It looks like utter chaos.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com