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Tuesday, 21 December, 1999, 13:18 GMT

Students want fees reform for all UK

"If it's good enough for east Lothian, it's good enough for east London," says a student leader, following recommendations for major changes to student funding in Scotland.

The Cubie Report, published on Tuesday, has called for an overhaul of the tuition fees system and the limited reintroduction of student grants.

But the National Union of Students, "delighted" with inquiry's findings, now wants the changes to be applied in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and not only in Scotland.

"It is time for Westminster to learn from the Scottish experience," said the president of the National Union of Students, Andrew Pakes. "The report is a watershed in the campaign against tuition fees and hardship."

If the reforms are enacted in Scotland and not elsewhere in the UK it would mean the creation of a number of unacceptable anomalies, says the NUS.

But the government shows no immediate signs of shifting ground, with the prime minister's official spokesman saying that devolution meant allowing different parts of the United Kingdom to develop different policies.

The Cubie report recommends the reintroduction of grants in Scotland for the most needy students - while elsewhere in the UK students will continue to have to take out student loans.

Chris Crookall

Under the inquiry's proposals, Scottish students would only repay tuition fees when they begin earning in excess of Ł25,000, while their English, Welsh and Northern Irish counterparts will have to pay over Ł1,000 a year while studying.

Such differences would mean Scottish and English students at the same university, studying the same courses, would have different levels of funding, an inequality that the students' union says is untenable.

As an example, at the University of Newcastle, two friends - Chris Crookall and Neil Fowler, from England and Scotland respectively - would pay different fees and receive different financial support.

"It would be wholly unfair and unjust. We're at the same university, we have the same expenditure, so it would be ridiculous for someone to get more because they were from Scotland rather than England," said Chris Crookall.

Vice-chancellor James Wright

The university's vice-chancellor, James Wright, was also concerned at the prospect of different funding between students.

"If English students are to be disadvantaged it would be very bad. It would reduce opportunities for English students and would mean the narrowing of the social and national mix in Scotland," said Mr Wright.

The Conservative party's education spokeswoman, Theresa May, has also pointed to the "discrimination" against English students if the reform only applies in Scotland.

The implementation of the report only on in Scotland "will lead to English students being second-class citizens alongside their Scottish counterparts", says Ms May.

The report's proposals have been welcomed by the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals. "It is important that no student should be deterred from taking up or completing their higher education due to financial hardship," said chief executive Diana Warwick.

But the Association of University Teachers cautioned against "over-rapid reactions", expressing concern over how an overhaul of student funding would affect spending elsewhere in higher education.

The Cubie inquiry was an attempt to find common ground over tuition fees between coalition partners, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, in the Scottish Parliament.

The Liberal Democrats have been committed to abolishing tuition fees, while Labour has refused to surrender the principle that they should be retained in some form

Related to this story:
Inquiry backs tuition fees reform (21 Dec 99 | Scotland)
Cubie's Christmas gift unwrapped (21 Dec 99 | Scotland)
Parties 'draw up fees crisis plan' (20 Dec 99 | Scotland)

Internet Links: National Union of Students Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals
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