TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION: Augar review caught in tussle over timing and Treasury control

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Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at the University of Manchester, said that the “critical point” was that the post-18 review has “always been linked to the spending review”.

“Any requests for additional spending – whether that be for restoring grants, extending more support to part-time or to more students in further education, or bringing back teaching grants to offset fee cuts – have significant implications for spending and for the overall DfE budget in the coming spending review period,” he said.

Professor Westwood noted that the chancellor’s spring statement was scheduled for 13 March, suggesting that the review panel’s report “may well surface around that time”, when the Brexit picture “should be a little clearer”, given – in theory – “we will know whether we are leaving on 29 March and whether it’s with a deal or not”.

But he added that the Treasury will “want to control as much of this as they possibly can – from spending commitments to timing and presentation”.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/augar-review-caught-tussle-over-timing-and-treasury-control