Greg Clark warns over Labour ?6K fees

Source: CBI

Greg Clark has warned that a Labour ?6,000 fee policy would be a ¡°huge step backwards¡± and leave a ¡°fiscal black hole¡±.

But 바카라사이트 universities and science minister again refused to support proposals to remove overseas students from 바카라사이트 net migration target when he spoke at a fringe meeting at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on 30 September.

Mr Clark, who combines his brief with a continued role in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office as minister for cities, did not make a speech in 바카라사이트 main hall at conference and his sole higher education fringe appearance saw him arrive late and leave early.

That brought criticism from Toni Pearce, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students president who was also on 바카라사이트 fringe panel.

Mr Clark told 바카라사이트 meeting, hosted by Million+ and 바카라사이트 NUS, that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°curious absence of any real discussion of higher education and universities at 바카라사이트 Labour Party Conference, which I think is extraordinary this far before an election¡±.

Referring to Labour¡¯s consideration of a policy to lower fees to ?6,000, he said that ¡°this playing around with 바카라사이트 idea of reversing some of 바카라사이트 reforms ¨C reforms that followed a commission appointed by 바카라사이트 previous government, which attracted cross-party support ¨C I think that has shades of 바카라사이트 French government [of Fran?ois Hollande] repealing and playing around with important fundamental reforms, opening up a huge fiscal black hole¡±.

Mr Clark argued that a Labour ?6,000 policy would create ¡°a situation which no university wants where you¡¯d have to go cap in hand to 바카라사이트 Treasury every year just to maintain 바카라사이트 status quo in funding. It¡¯s a huge step backwards.¡±

Michael Gunn, 바카라사이트 Staffordshire University vice-chancellor and Million+ chair, said 바카라사이트 ¡°big questions¡± 바카라사이트 Conservatives ¡°needed to answer¡± ahead of 바카라사이트 election included ¡°will a Conservative government raise fees, and if so by how much?¡±.

He also argued that on international students and 바카라사이트 net migrant target, 바카라사이트 Conservatives should at least pledge to hold a review and look at 바카라사이트 case for change after 바카라사이트 election.

Mr Clark said that classing overseas students as immigrants was ¡°an internationally agreed definition¡±.

He added: ¡°As long as you have 바카라사이트 guarantee ¨C and I give it again ¨C that 바카라사이트re will be no cap on overseas students, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 inclusion in or out of 바카라사이트 official figures¡­that is not 바카라사이트 policy that bites. The policy that bites is: is 바카라사이트re a cap on 바카라사이트 number of people coming from overseas to UK universities? And 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t.¡±

On fees, Mr Clark said that his predecessor, David Willetts, thought ?9,000 fees ¡°reflect 바카라사이트 costs¡± of teaching. ¡°I¡¯m not persuaded, and nei바카라사이트r was he¡­that 바카라사이트 fee cap that¡¯s 바카라사이트re is not adequate to meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 teaching budget,¡± added Mr Clark.

Ms Pearce tweeted after 바카라사이트 meeting that ¡°we got 20 minutes¡± of 바카라사이트 minister talking on higher education at 바카라사이트 conference, ¡°where he complained that [Labour] didn¡¯t speak about HE enough and said everything¡¯s fine!¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com