Tuition fees

Lord Browne's review of university funding has, as expected, recommended an end to the cap on university tuition fees. Ahead of the report YouGov's poll for last weekend's Sunday Times had a series of questions on tuition fees.

The idea of increased tuition fees was not popular - only 30% thought universities should be allowed to charge higher fees, and most of those respondents only favoured an increase in fees to five or seven thousand pounds. Only around 5% of respondents favoured allowing universities to charge fees of £10,000 or more.

On the principle of paying for university education, 44% thought it was fair that students should have to pay the bulk of the costs of their education, compared to 41% that it was unfair.

The principle of tuition fees was narrowly preferred to Vince Cable's suggestion of a graduate tax. Asked which was fairer, 44% chose tuition fees compared to 39% for a graduate tax. Respondents also rejected the underlying principle that graduates who earnt more should pay more back - 36% thought higher earners should contribute more, 55% thought students should pay the same fees regardless of their later earnings. Interestingly on these questions Liberal Democrat voters were narrowly in favour of tuition fees and against people's contributions being based on their later earnings.

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