Individual learning accounts were thought to be a good idea, if enough money went into them. However, the problems in student finance needed to be addressed more urgently. A more flexible approach would be welcome. Businesses are generally unwilling to fund the traditional route through higher education so they should be given greater encouragement. There is, however, a culture of business in further education.
Businesses like to cherry-pick certain institutions, courses, and students.
It was felt that graduate taxation was not a panacea. It was stated that any means test system was always going to hit some people harder than others. In assessing parents to pay for their children, it should be borne in mind that those parents still faced the same electricity bills and the same mortgage payments even though the students were not resident at home. It was suggested that the means-test should be progressive and had to be more advantageous and fair. The specific anomaly regarding separated or divorced parents was also raised.