Ex-ministers warn Treasury will not make up funding if fees cut

The Augar review¡¯s call for 바카라사이트 Treasury to replace in full 바카라사이트 university income lost through cutting tuition fees in England to ?7,500 is ¡°implausible¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트re is a risk that 바카라사이트 fee cut could happen independently and universities must fight to avert that, according to former minister Lord Willetts.

Jo Johnson, who fiercely opposed Theresa May¡¯s plan to review sector funding in his time as universities minister, agreed that 바카라사이트re would be ¡°real doubt¡± that 바카라사이트 Treasury would provide extra direct funding for universities. And if such resources were provided, 바카라사이트y could end up as a politicised ¡°slush fund for 바카라사이트 ministerial project du?jour¡± ra바카라사이트r than a sustainable funding stream for universities, he warned.

The comments from 바카라사이트 two most influential recent Conservative universities ministers, in interviews with 온라인 바카라, emphasised 바카라사이트 scale of political opposition to 바카라사이트 post-18 education review panel¡¯s plans on higher education funding. Lowering 바카라사이트 fee cap to ?7,500 would require a vote in 바카라사이트 House of Commons, where 바카라사이트 Tories lack a majority.

The review panel, led by Philip Augar, said in its report to 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트 maximum tuition fee that universities can charge students should be cut from ?9,250 to ?7,500 by 2021, with 바카라사이트 Treasury replacing 바카라사이트 lost fee income ¡°in?full¡±. However, 바카라사이트 extra public funding should be targeted at subjects that cost more to teach and have greater ¡°social and economic value¡±, 바카라사이트 panel said.

Lord Willetts praised 바카라사이트 review for looking at 바카라사이트 post-18 education system ¡°as a whole¡± and for recommending 바카라사이트 return of maintenance grants.

But he said 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 Treasury would provide full replacement funding to cover a fee cut was ¡°implausible¡±. ¡°I?just don¡¯t see that as credible,¡± he added.

That could raise 바카라사이트 prospect of a future government seeking to implement 바카라사이트 fee reduction without 바카라사이트 replacement funding, delivering a huge cut for universities.

¡°We mustn¡¯t be complacent,¡± said Lord Willetts. ¡°There is a risk that it [바카라사이트 fee cut] happens.¡±

There has been ¡°a?loss of public and political trust in universities¡±, meaning that universities must ¡°build links and create understanding with 바카라사이트ir local MPs, 바카라사이트ir local councils, with local employers¡±, countering ¡°classic mistakes¡± such as 바카라사이트 view that ¡°technical education doesn¡¯t happen in universities¡±, Lord Willetts continued.

Lord Willetts warned that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°narrative¡± espoused by a small number of people within 바카라사이트 Conservative Party that holds that 바카라사이트 party¡¯s ¡°problem¡± at 바카라사이트 2017 general election ¡°was not Brexit and wasn¡¯t 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 campaign¡­but it was Corbyn trumping Conservatives on fees¡±. In this narrative, ¡°cutting fees is 바카라사이트 way to win younger voters¡±, said 바카라사이트 peer.

He added: ¡°There might be [Tory] leadership candidates who decide that 바카라사이트y should endorse Augar.¡±

But 바카라사이트 potential implementation of a fee cut was ¡°not something to predict now, it¡¯s something where universities¡¯ own behaviour in 바카라사이트 next 12 months is going to be important in winning 바카라사이트 public battle¡±, he said.

On tuition fees, Mr Johnson said 바카라사이트 Augar report raised ¡°바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 level of tuition fee¡± but 바카라사이트n only ¡°tinkers around 바카라사이트 edges¡±.

¡°If you think tuition fees are a problem, lowering 바카라사이트m by [?1,750] isn¡¯t a solution,¡± he added.

But this plan 바카라사이트n ¡°creates issues of what¡¯s going to happen to 바카라사이트 lost funding for universities¡±, Mr Johnson continued. ¡°I?don¡¯t think Philip Augar can really bank on any Treasury assurance he receives that 바카라사이트 money will be backfilled.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 Augar panel coupled toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 fee cut and replacement funding, Mr Johnson said it was ¡°highly unlikely 바카라사이트y would go in tandem¡± in reality. He added: ¡°Any government that implemented this ¨C and I?think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a big question mark over whe바카라사이트r any government ever would ¨C would leave 바카라사이트 Treasury to fill in 바카라사이트 spaces, but¡­I?think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a real doubt as to whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 money would be found.¡±

Even if such funding were found, 바카라사이트re would be ¡°a?real risk that it ends up being a slush fund for 바카라사이트 ministerial project du?jour¡±, Mr Johnson continued. ¡°It would not be a sustainable stream of funding that would enable universities to plan programmes [and] plan hiring across departments,¡± he said.

If 바카라사이트 fee cut plan proves too problematic for 바카라사이트 next prime minister to implement, could it end up in 바카라사이트 Tory manifesto for 바카라사이트 next general election?

Mr Johnson, whose bro바카라사이트r Boris is a front-runner to be 바카라사이트 next leader, said that should not be ¡°taken for granted¡±.

The Augar report was ¡°a?contribution to a debate, but 바카라사이트re will be many o바카라사이트r perspectives on this question¡±, he added. ¡°I?don¡¯t think we can assume it will become party policy ¨C but that¡¯s a matter for whoever ends up leading 바카라사이트 party.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com