What's David Willetts up to? His suggestion that graduates should make a "bigger contribution" towards the cost of higher education has been universally interpreted as an indication that the Universities Minister favours a graduate tax over an increase in tuition fees. But does he? In fact, an increase in tuition fees would also mean graduates making a "bigger contribution" since they'd have to repay higher loans after they'd graduated. So his statement could be read either way.
It beggars belief that Willetts, a thoroughbred conservative intellectual, would actually be in favour of a graduate tax. According to the University and College Union (UCU), if graduates had to pay an additional 5% in income tax, a social worker on average wages would end up paying a total of £37,550 over 25 years, a secondary school teacher £46,046 and a doctor £70,526. Under the present system, by contrast, they each pay a flat fee of £9,440 for their degrees. (To read more, click here.)
