HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1130-1W
Paul Holmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates were made of the delay times in repayments to the Treasury if graduate tax were adopted in place of tuition fees, when drawing up the proposals in the policy document, The Future of Higher Education; and if he will make a statement. [98132]

Margaret Hodge

The length of time to realise a particular tax revenue depends critically upon the assumptions being made. Given the number of variables, there is no single answer. In particular, it is sensitive to assumptions about the rate of additional tax and the threshold above which the tax is paid.

For example, the income threshold at which repayments begin under the loans system is higher than for most taxes (currently £10,000, rising to £15,000 in April 2005), but the rate at which repayments are made is also substantially higher than would be likely under a graduate tax system (9 per cent. of income over the threshold until the loan is fully recovered). Moreover, students and employers have the option to repay early any sums owed and evidence shows a significant number do so. This combination of factors means that the Government are more likely to recover "repayments" more quickly under a loans system than under a graduate tax system.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements he will make for accreditation of the(a) professional and (b) teaching skills of (i) full-time and (ii) part-time further education lecturers in connection with conditions on their continuing ability to teach in colleges. [100153]

Margaret Hodge

"Success for All" sets out our aim of a fully qualified workforce in further education colleges by 2010. Regulations introduced in 2001 require new lecturers to be qualified to teach within two years if they are full-time, or four years if they are part-time. There is no requirement for existing staff to become qualified, but we have set a target that 90 per cent. of full-time staff and 60 per cent. of part-time staff will be qualified to teach, or enrolled on appropriate courses, by 2006. Enabling powers to make further regulations were secured in the Education Act (section 136). The Learning and Skills Council is currently consulting on arrangements to achieve this and other targets.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the annual cost of compliance with access regulation requirements falling on the higher education sector. [100302]

Margaret Hodge

The last review on regulatory requirements falling on the higher education sector was carried out by the Better Regulation Task Force. I am placing a copy of the report in the House Library for reference. From this month, Professor VandeLinde, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, will be chairing a task force to ensure that the burden of bureaucracy in higher education is reduced and kept to a minimum. The task force will help to ensure that significant new initiatives such as access regulation, will not place any disproportionate new burden on the sector.