High Peak Liberal Democrats

Response from 18 members

I got 3 people who said they didn't know but would like to and 15 different opinions! However, there was a "hard core" of respondents saying similar things. I also received references to about a dozen websites.

The reason for the question was my knowledge that all governments are hopeless at PR but the present government, perhaps because it is trying to do more, seems to be even worse at PR than previous governments.

I did think that, if there had been an argument that grants given to universities went to subsidise the fees of all students (therefore of "overseas" students) that would have come up as part of our defence during the controversy. As it didn't come up, then probably, it wasn't the way things work. Clearly, the fact the EU students are subsidised would not have arisen as we didn't want to provoke even more anti-EU feeling.

So the likely position appears to be:

1: the position for Scottish and perhaps Northern Ireland students is different to those from England and Wales

2: the position on fees varies from university to university

3: the government grant goes to English, Welsh and EU students (British students in EU countries receive reciprocal subsidies, probably)

4: from next year, the grant may apply only to certain subjects, but this is changing on an (ir)regular basis

5: we will soon be charging the highest fees in the world

6: the government is working very hard to make the position even more complicated - that's why we employ the best brains in the country in the Civil Service - fortunately their success rate is very low because of all the rules they have to follow.

Thank you all. I will now retire to my bunker and see if I can think of a way to get the County Council to do something about parking on a junction in my ward. It's got something to do with some construction work and planning conditions.....

Tony Gillam

Chris Nelson responded - 21 May 2012

EU students was my understanding.
International fees are separate from, and usually higher than, those charged to EU nationals.

Grantley Lycett Responded 21 May 2012