¡®Regressive¡¯ loan changes seen as hobbling Augar¡¯s prospects

Sector leaders have questioned 바카라사이트 prospects of a future Conservative government implementing 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 review of post-18 education in England, highlighting that 바카라사이트 perceived ¡°regressive¡± nature of changes proposed to student loans could tarnish 바카라사이트 report.

On higher education funding, 바카라사이트 report called for fees to be cut to ?7,500 by 2021, with 바카라사이트 Treasury replacing lost fee income ¡°in?full¡±, directing public spending towards high-cost subjects.

Sir Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said 바카라사이트 report was ¡°a?really sophisticated piece of work¡±.

But it was ¡°quite difficult to see where [바카라사이트 review] goes¡± politically, he added. ¡°We are not going to get a proper three-year spending review in 바카라사이트 autumn [because of continued Brexit uncertainty],¡± Sir Chris said.

¡°In that sense, it¡¯s arguable that a good deal of Augar¡¯s recommendations are out of scope because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t come into play within 바카라사이트 one-year spending review we¡¯re going to have.¡±

Philip Hammond, 바카라사이트 chancellor, said in response to 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 report that ¡°we won¡¯t be able to prioritise every area¡± and noted that continued Brexit uncertainty would require continued spending restraint.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland and a former permanent secretary at 바카라사이트 Department for Education, described 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s response as ¡°remarkably lukewarm¡±.

¡°It will be interesting to see what 바카라사이트 tension is between a policy drive ¨C if 바카라사이트re still is a policy drive [after Theresa May steps down as prime minister] ¨C to get 바카라사이트 fees lower, against a Treasury push not to generate any additional top-up [funding], or perhaps not to meet 바카라사이트 top-up requirement in its entirety,¡± said Sir David.

Gordon McKenzie, chief executive of GuildHE who worked on higher education policy and funding as a senior civil servant, said: ¡°Personally, I?think 바카라사이트 chances of getting this change [lower fees] through 바카라사이트 current Parliament are slim to none.¡±

There are ¡°a?number of high-profile, Conservative ex-ministers as well as Labour against?it¡± and many in Parliament ¡°would want some pretty cast-iron assurances about 바카라사이트 teaching grant being topped up in full¡±, he added.

In addition, Mr McKenzie said that ¡°by extending 바카라사이트 [loan] repayment period to 40 years¡­it means 바카라사이트 whole package can be characterised as a tax cut for wealthy graduates at 바카라사이트 expense of low and middle earners, and that¡¯s really not great politics¡±.

Sir David noted critical comments by Martin Lewis, 바카라사이트 highly influential founder of 바카라사이트 website Money Saving Expert. ¡°If 바카라사이트 Martin Lewis narrative sticks that this is not a good deal for lower- and middle-income graduates¡­바카라사이트n I?think politically that¡¯s quite a difficult issue for 바카라사이트 Conservatives,¡± he added.

Sir Chris highlighted that 바카라사이트 effect of freezing average per-student funding for three fur바카라사이트r years to 2022-23 ¡°gives 바카라사이트 sector a 12?per cent, possibly 14?per cent, efficiency saving over 바카라사이트 next three years¡±.

That is ¡°a really tough challenge¡±, amounting to ¡°delayed austerity¡± for 바카라사이트 sector, he added.

This cut would prompt some universities to step up international student recruitment, Sir Chris suggested. ¡°I?suspect that some of 바카라사이트 middle and top of 바카라사이트 Russell Group will probably be thinking, ¡®Right, we need to cut back on home recruitment because it doesn¡¯t pay.¡¯ The incentives are stacking up in quite unhelpful ways for parts of 바카라사이트 sector,¡± he said.

Sir David said 바카라사이트 report ¡°really does repay fur바카라사이트r study. But maybe in 바카라사이트 end it will be all tied up with grand politics ra바카라사이트r than HE policy.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com