What the Public Think

Variable Fees and Graduate Contributions:

What do the public think?

In the last week we have had 4 independent surveys. The key messages from these surveys are as follows:

- People agree that universities need more money.
- People agree that it is fair to ask graduates to contribute if they earn over œ15,000, payable through the tax system, based on affordability linked to earning, with no real rate of interest charged.
- People believe that a variable fee is fair, if it is linked to a graduate repayment system. In fact a higher percentage of Labour voters favour our policy than the general public as a whole.
- Our plans for expansion are accepted on economic and social grounds. People can see through the Tory policy of "cut and run" and reject the idea that the number of places at universities should shrink by up to 250,000.
- People feel that more working class students should be given the opportunity to go to university. That is why we will ensure that we target student support to those students from families with the lowest incomes.
- People agree that even if we did have more public money to spend, it would be better spent on other public services such as health, pensions, nurseries or schools.
The Surveys
Populus Survey (Times 9.12.03)
- Who should pay?: 40% say the cost should be met by students paying fees once they are back in work
- What does this mean for the Tories and Lib Dem proposals?
- Only 9% back the Tories solution to cut up to 250,000 places from universities by reducing their income.
- 35% back the Lib Dem proposals of increasing income to 50% for all those earning over œ100,000. But the Lib Dems have earmarked this money to the tune of œ15billion for lots of different purposes. The money raised can never stretch as far as this.
- Are variable fees fair if they are linked to a graduate repayment system: 55% of the public say yes it is fair. And 64% of Labour voters saying yes it is fair.
YouGov Survey (Telegraph 9.12.03)
- How should the Government spend public money?: Only 20% of those asked, prioritised increasing money to universities by œ2bn a year and scrapping the plans to increase student fees.
- 28% would prefer to spend œ3bn a year more on schools and nurseries. At the moment we spend the following:
- œ1,800 per year in the education/care of every three year old.
- œ3,200 per year for every primary age child.
- œ4,000 per year for every secondary age child.
- œ4,300 per year for every young person who goes to college after 16.
- An average of œ5,300 per year for every university student.
- Very little for school leavers who never return to education

British Social Attitudes (National Centre for Social Research 9.12.03)
- Expansion: 46% of the public agree with expansion.
- Widening participation: 75% think more working class students should go to university.
- Who should pay?: 63% of the public think that some or all students should pay towards tuition costs after graduation.
ICM Poll (Evening Standard 5.12.03)
- How should we solve the problem of university funding?: 40% believe that students should pay up to œ3000 a year towards their tuition, once they are earning over œ15,000 per year.
- Only 17% believe in the Tories plans to cut radically the number of student places to balance the books.