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Humanities to lose teaching grant | Humanities to lose teaching grant |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter | By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter |
Teaching grants for degree courses in arts, humanities and social sciences at England's universities are likely to be phased out under government plans. | Teaching grants for degree courses in arts, humanities and social sciences at England's universities are likely to be phased out under government plans. |
Giving evidence to MPs, Universities Secretary David Willetts suggested these courses would be funded wholly via tuition fees in future. | Giving evidence to MPs, Universities Secretary David Willetts suggested these courses would be funded wholly via tuition fees in future. |
But he said the greater share of cuts would come after fees went up in 2012. | But he said the greater share of cuts would come after fees went up in 2012. |
Under the Browne Review, tuition fees replace teaching grants in all but science and maths subjects. | Under the Browne Review, tuition fees replace teaching grants in all but science and maths subjects. |
Lord Browne's review suggested the cap on fees should be lifted and students should be charged unlimited fees. | Lord Browne's review suggested the cap on fees should be lifted and students should be charged unlimited fees. |
But this has been moderated in recent days with ministers suggesting there would be some sort of a cap on fees. | But this has been moderated in recent days with ministers suggesting there would be some sort of a cap on fees. |
Chancellor George Osbourne said the higher education budget was to be cut by 40% when he set out his spending review plans last week. This has been widely misreported as a 40% cut to teaching budgets alone. | Chancellor George Osbourne said the higher education budget was to be cut by 40% when he set out his spending review plans last week. This has been widely misreported as a 40% cut to teaching budgets alone. |
But Mr Willetts suggested cuts to teaching budgets overall would be larger than this with some protection going to science, engineering, technology and maths subjects. | But Mr Willetts suggested cuts to teaching budgets overall would be larger than this with some protection going to science, engineering, technology and maths subjects. |
Some closures? | Some closures? |
Giving evidence to the Commons business committee, Mr Willetts said Lord Browne's proposals envisaged most of the teaching funding "going in a different way - going via the student" by means of a graduate contribution. | Giving evidence to the Commons business committee, Mr Willetts said Lord Browne's proposals envisaged most of the teaching funding "going in a different way - going via the student" by means of a graduate contribution. |
Under this model, which he endorsed, he said "the teaching grant becomes a much less significant source of resource for universities." | Under this model, which he endorsed, he said "the teaching grant becomes a much less significant source of resource for universities." |
And he confirmed that, under Lord Browne's proposals, the teaching grant for band C and D subjects - arts, social sciences and humanities - would be all but wiped out. | And he confirmed that, under Lord Browne's proposals, the teaching grant for band C and D subjects - arts, social sciences and humanities - would be all but wiped out. |
He added: "The teaching grant that you certainly need is the teaching grant for the extra costs of the Band A and B subjects - laboratory based subjects we would need a teaching grant to cover that extra." | He added: "The teaching grant that you certainly need is the teaching grant for the extra costs of the Band A and B subjects - laboratory based subjects we would need a teaching grant to cover that extra." |
Pressed about the level and speed of teaching grant budget cuts, Mr Willetts said the details were still being worked out. | Pressed about the level and speed of teaching grant budget cuts, Mr Willetts said the details were still being worked out. |
"On that model there is a big reduction in the teaching grant - the exact size of it will depend on the detailed decisions we take," he said. | "On that model there is a big reduction in the teaching grant - the exact size of it will depend on the detailed decisions we take," he said. |
And he suggested there may be some extra protection for strategically sensitive subjects such as modern languages. | And he suggested there may be some extra protection for strategically sensitive subjects such as modern languages. |
But he would not guarantee that there would not be closures. | But he would not guarantee that there would not be closures. |
He said: "It's not possible to give a guarantee that all departments will carry on. We are looking for savings that will start in 2012." | He said: "It's not possible to give a guarantee that all departments will carry on. We are looking for savings that will start in 2012." |
Mr Willetts said the final figures would be set out to universities in the usual way in the grant letter to England's higher education funding body, Hefce, before Christmas. | Mr Willetts said the final figures would be set out to universities in the usual way in the grant letter to England's higher education funding body, Hefce, before Christmas. |
General secretary of the University and College Union Sally Hunt said cuts of this magnitude would lead to courses and whole universities closing. | |
She said: "The whole landscape of higher education in this country would change. What a university is and what its purpose is would be completely different. | |
"We need stable funding and recognition from the government that investment in education is an investment in our economic future." |