Examination of Witnesses (Questions 140
- 143)
MONDAY 10 APRIL 2000
PROFESSOR RODERICK
FLOUD, PROFESSOR
JOAN STRINGER,
MR DAVID
CALDWELL AND
MR TONY
BRUCE
140. Is it not interesting that however much
we try we keep coming back to the paradigm that the student today
is the 18 year old going off to university when we know that is
now a minority. Most of them are in further education, doing HE,
part-time, mature and all of the rest. That is one of the interesting
things coming out of our session.
(Professor Floud) I was asked about the gap year.
141. I was not blaming anyone.
(Professor Floud) My whole career has been dealing
with mature and part-time students.
Dr Harris
142. I was relieved by your penultimate answer
when you did not rule out the public purse as being an opportunity.
I am also concerned you misquoted me, while I accept that £558
million is a lot of money—two thirds of a Millennium Dome—I
did point out that it was 0.2 per cent of the income-tax cut that
the Chancellor found he could give away. What I want to ask you
is, recognising that student finance is a separate issue from
the other issues of university funding in terms of teaching and
research resources, do you believe that that sort of additional
income from student finance, which we are looking at now, is affordable
from the public purse for the reasons you gave in your previous
answer?
(Professor Floud) I do not think that it is for the
universities to judge whether it is affordable from the public
pursue, that is a decision for the Government and for the Chancellor
of the Exchequer who has to balance a huge range of priorities.
What we are saying is we do believe that there is a need for additional
funding from some source to provide for the core activities of
higher education institutions.
Chairman
143. Professor Floud, it is interesting that
after many years of a Treasury that has set its face against any
notion of hypothecation, that we have seen over the last four
years a move towards hypothecation and certainly the Treasury
relenting on hypothecation. It may be something that your inquiry
would dwell on, whether it is a graduate tax or some other kind
of hypothecation for higher education. Can I thank you for coming
and finish on one last question. Do you think we can get to the
50 per cent that the Government, and particularly the Prime Minister
has said he is interested in in terms of students benefitting
from higher education with the present system undisturbed?
(Professor Floud) I think it will put a strain on
the current system. I believe it is entirely justifiable because
I believe that at least 50 per cent of the population would benefit
from higher education and that the country would then benefit
from them benefitting from higher education. It is an aspiration
which we must find the means to pay for.
Chairman: Thank you for your attendance. Thank
you for your excellent answers to our questions. I suspect we
will be seeing you again shortly, thank you.
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