Recommendation 15

Higher public sector spending on higher education in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK is predominately a consequence of the Scottish Government policy of free tuition for Scottish students (and until recently EU students). Scotland is the only country in the UK that offers fee-free university tuition. This is a policy which has support across the political spectrum in Scotland, with the Scottish National Party, Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Scottish Greens all backing it.24 Debates continue however about the impact this policy has on students and Scottish universities.25 The Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt Hon Alister Jack MP, told us that: In order to meet the costs of this policy, the Scottish Government provides £213 million in funding (approx. £1,800 per student per academic year for a degree programme) with a cap on places to control costs. In England, UK and EU students are personally liable to pay up to £9,250 per academic year for a degree programme. While income from undergraduate students only represents part of the funding picture, this difference in approach between Scotland and England clearly contributes to the budgetary pressures that institutions in Scotland face.26