The spontaneity of parents, teachers and communities can be mined in new ways to ensure we are getting the best out of limited resources. We need a ‘national clearing house for schools’ that shares real time knowledge about what works, one that uses clever information tools to pool the wisdom of grassroots professionals.
Twenty-four universities will see their entire teaching grants cut under the Browne review’s plans to focus Government spending on science, engineering, technology and maths undergraduates. Figures released by the Labour party from the House of Commons library confirm the likelytest
No-one likes to talk about rationing health services, especially politicians. Yet rationing decisions are necessary in all health systems without limitless budgets, since demand will always exceed supply. The question is: who makes the decision, and on what basis?
At least 70% will be put off attending university as tuition fees rise to £9,000 per year. Nick Clegg is struggling to convince his Ministers to support the move.
The Liberal Democrats have got themselves in quite a mess on higher education funding. Today, we have the bizarre spectacle of the Vince Cable pulling out (on “police advice”) of a planned speech at Oxford University because students planned to protest his Government’s plans to at least double tuition fees.
In response to Liberal Democrat MP Bob Russell at the end of Prime Minister’s Questions today, David Cameron confirmed that the “key change” in housing benefit was “a cap of £20,000”, a measure which, according to the June budget, will save only £65 million by 2014/15 – the least effective revenue raising measure the government has announced.
Previously when a cancer drug was put to NICE for appraisal there was a strong incentive for the drug company to offer a decent NHS-wide price that might be accepted as value for money. Indeed NHS drug prices are generally very competitive.
David Willetts today announced the effective end of state funding for degree courses in arts, humanities, and social science subjects.
A leading health think tank has warned the NHS faces a funding gap of £6 billion a year by 2015. The King’s Fund says that, contrary to George Osborne’s claim the NHS will get an annual real-terms rise of 0.1 per cent, the NHS will in effect face a reduction of more than 1 per cent a year if it is to maintain existing levels of treatment and cover, given changes in the population.
At a time when the government is eager to cut spending, their policy on universities, which will cost money not save it, can only be seen as ideological. The government will pay fees up front, with students indebted to the government for decades.
