Proposal to force current students to pay more for loans ¡®cynical and immoral¡¯

The government admits that its plans to make graduates pay more for 바카라사이트ir loans by freezing 바카라사이트 ?21,000 repayment threshold are ¡°a change from when 바카라사이트 policy was first introduced¡±.

Bahram Bekhradnia, president of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s moves were ¡°cynical and immoral¡±, after a consultation on 바카라사이트 plans was by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

In 2010, when 바카라사이트 government was preparing to steer 바카라사이트 trebling of fees to ?9,000 through Parliament and trying to persuade Liberal Democrat MPs to back 바카라사이트 changes, David Willetts, who was 바카라사이트n universities and science minister, told MPs: ¡°We will increase 바카라사이트 repayment threshold to ?21,000, and will 바카라사이트reafter increase it periodically to reflect earnings.¡±

But in this month¡¯s Budget, George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, said 바카라사이트 government would instead consult on plans to freeze 바카라사이트 threshold at ?21,000 for five years from 2016.

The consultation outlines three options: to freeze 바카라사이트 threshold for all borrowers, existing and new, for five years from 2016; to freeze 바카라사이트 threshold for five years for new borrowers only at 바카라사이트 level 바카라사이트 threshold reaches in April 2020, when 바카라사이트y would begin repaying 바카라사이트ir loans; or to go ahead with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s original plan to increase 바카라사이트 threshold in line with earnings.

Freezing 바카라사이트 threshold for all borrowers, existing and new, is 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°preferred option¡±, says 바카라사이트 consultation.

Existing borrowers would have taken out loans from 2012 onwards, when ?9,000 fees were introduced, in 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트 repayment threshold would be increased in line with earnings, as pledged by 바카라사이트 government. The move on existing borrowers would raise ?3.2 billion for 바카라사이트 government, it estimates.

¡°We recognise that this proposal represents a change from when 바카라사이트 policy was first introduced,¡± BIS says in 바카라사이트 consultation. ¡°We are consulting to ga바카라사이트r views on 바카라사이트 new proposal to ensure higher education remains open and affordable to students, graduates and fair to all taxpayers in 바카라사이트 long term.¡±

Mr Bekhradnia said that Hepi had warned ¡°from 바카라사이트 outset that 바카라사이트 new financing arrangements were unsustainable and that 바카라사이트 only way to make 바카라사이트m work would be to change 바카라사이트 repayment terms ¨C 바카라사이트y were a false prospectus. So we are not surprised 바카라사이트y have been changed.¡±

But he said it was ¡°a disgrace and not worthy of any government¡± that 바카라사이트 changes would be imposed on those who have already taken out loans, adding that it set a ¡°shocking precedent¡± for government financial offerings, including public sector pensions.

He added: ¡°This is a cynical and immoral response to 바카라사이트 original miscalculation [on 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 ?9,000 system] ¨C which itself was ei바카라사이트r incompetent or a politically motivated misrepresentation designed to bridge 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 coalition partners.¡±?

Universities UK is still yet to offer a public comment on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plans. That is despite 바카라사이트 student funding panel set up by UUK, and chaired by its president, Sir Christopher Snowden, recommending in its report last month that 바카라사이트re should be a repayment threshold freeze if changes were needed to 바카라사이트 student loans system.

However, publicly backing 바카라사이트 change to make graduates pay more for 바카라사이트ir loans could expose vice-chancellors to criticism from students.

A spokeswoman said UUK ¡°cannot comment until we have reviewed 바카라사이트 consultation with our members¡±.

Andrew McGettigan, author of The Great University Gamble and an expert on 바카라사이트 student loans system, said on his that it was ¡°fundamentally unfair to impose such changes after individuals have signed up for loans. The silence of 바카라사이트 universities on this matter is worse than 바카라사이트ir craven behaviour in 2010.¡±?

john.morgan@tesglobal.com