HC Deb 10 November 2003 vol 413 cc80-1W
Paul Farrelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) for what reason it was stated in his circular, The Government's Higher Education Proposals Explained, of 5 November, that the proceeds of a graduate tax cannot be earmarked by statute for use in the funding of higher education alone; [137748]

(2) for what reason it was stated in his circular, The Government's Higher Education Proposals Explained, of 5 November, that a graduate tax is necessarily payable throughout a graduate's life; [137749]

(3) for what reason it was stated in his circular, The Government's Higher Education Proposals Explained, of 5 November, that a graduate tax would necessarily not have an earnings threshold below which no repayments are made; [137750]

(4) for what reason it was stated in his circular, The Government's Higher Education Proposals Explained, of 5 November, that a graduate tax would necessarily not recover the money for higher education funding for at least 20 years; [137751]

(5) for what reason it was stated that a graduate tax would have to run alongside the student loan system in his circular, The Government's Higher Education Proposals Explained, of 5 November. [137752]

Alan Johnson

The circular referred to is a party political document. I will write to my hon. Friend separately.