09/12/2010

Other UK News In Brief

England's Education Cuts Will Hit Scotland

Medical students will today join the candlelight rally outside the Scottish Parliament, which is being organised by the National Union of Students Scotland and University and College Union (UCU). They will be protesting against higher education cuts and the planned increases in tuition fees in England that could leave medical graduates facing debts of around £70,000. 

If passed by MPs, these proposals will have significant and damaging impacts on students and institutions across Scotland. In addition, Scottish students choosing to study in England will be faced with massive debts, and there will inevitably be a knock-on impact on the fees charged to English students studying in Scotland, as the Scottish Government seeks to prevent a massive influx of English students seeking to avoid the higher fees in England. 

Dima Nassif, Co-Chair of the BMA’s Scottish Medical Students Committee, said: 

“Higher education and students in all sectors and subjects are under enormous pressure, with medical students facing a particularly serious threat from the Westminster Government’s proposal to increase tuition fees up to £9,000 a year.

 We are deeply concerned that medical schools will charge this maximum amount given the expensive nature of teaching medicine and the funding squeeze many are facing. If fees are set at £9,000, medical students could face debts of around £70,000. 

The medical profession should be representative of the society it serves, and entry to medical school should be based on the ability and aptitude of the student. It would be unforgivable if patients and the NHS lost out on the skills of gifted young people from low and middle income families because they were not able to support themselves through university or able to take on these levels of debt. The BMA is asking MPs to reject these proposals for higher education in England, and to consider the impact this will have on Scotland.”

Final Legislation On Bank Levy Published

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mark Hoban MP, announced today the publication of final legislation to implement the bank levy announced in the June Budget. Following two periods of consultation since June, the final legislation contains changes to the rate of the levy. The rate for 2011 will be 0.05 per cent, rather than 0.04 percent, and it will rise to 0.075 per cent from 2012, instead of the 0.07 per cent announced in June. These changes, along with the introduction of an allowance, rather than a threshold, for those liabilities to which the levy applies, will generate around £21/2 billion of annual revenues. This is in line with the Budget estimates. 

The levy is intended to encourage banks to move to less risky funding profiles, and the £21/2 billion is a fair contribution in respect of the risks the banking system poses to the wider economy, while ensuring that the industry remains competitive.
 The levy will take effect from 1 January 2011 and will be permanent. Mark Hoban said: "We have consulted on the design of the scheme so that it achieves two objectives: first, ensuring that banks make a fair contribution in respect of the potential risks they pose to the UK financial system and wider economy. Second, the final scheme design will encourage the banks to make greater use of more stable sources of funding, such as long-term debt and equity, working with the grain of our wider reform programme."

Designing Out Crime

Local retailers and other small businesses could save thousands of pounds with the introduction of a new online tool which will help them take steps to reduce crimes such as theft and vandalism. The average business loses around £3,000 a year from preventable crime and new figures reveal that retail theft reaches a peak in the run up to Christmas. It is a unique, easy-to-use, interactive tool which prompts owners to enter simple details about their business set-up (such as businesses with a specific crime concern, new businesses or established businesses looking for general security advice). The specially designed ‘digital interface’ then analyses the information and guides users through simple and effective prevention measures which suits their type of business and crime risk. Croydon, Haringey and Southwark Boroughs will be trialing the online tool starting in early December. Officers who are equipped with mobile devices will be able to access the tool whilst on the beat. Others (e.g. Safer Neighbourhoods Teams) will be distributing information to help business owners get online and take action. The initiative is being developed further to assist Safer Neighbourhoods Teams and policing units engaging with local businesses. There will be additional developments in the content and usability in the coming months to maintain the relevance of the site.

(BMcN)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

21 February 2005
BMA seek pooled job applications for students
The British Medical Association (BMA) Medical Students Committee have called for a centralised body, through which graduates can apply for their first job.
17 October 2003
Top-up fees will discourage students from medicine: BMA
The BMA's Medical Students Committee has expressed concerns that top-up fees will discourage students - particularly those from working class backgrounds - from applying to medical school.
10 November 2010
Medical Students Join Tuition Fee Protest
Medical students have today joined the National Union of Students (NUS) and University and College Union (UCU) in a national protest against higher education cuts and planned increases in tuition fees that could leave medical graduates facing debts of around £70,000. 

 The NUS say around 30,000 people are taking part in the protest.
26 June 2003
Medical profession suffers from poor careers advice
Doctors and medical students need better access to informed impartial careers advice, according to a report published today by the British Medical Association.
11 November 2010
Fifty Arrests Over Student Protest Disorder
A total of 50 people have been arrested for disorder in connection with yesterday's student protest in central London. All were taken to various police stations around London and have since been bailed.