UCU budget comment
23 March 2011
Responding to the budget today, UCU said that slashing tax for big business while key services lost vital funding made an absolute mockery of any claims from government that the country was 'all in it together'.
The chancellor announced that he is speeding up plans to slash the UK's corporation tax, which will already be the lowest in the G7 from April. The tax will be cut from 28% to 26% this year with an additional annual cut of 1% over the following three years.
Each one percentage point cut in corporation tax costs the exchequer £800m and the chancellor's move will deprive the treasury of £11.2bn over the next four years.
The union welcomed moves to increase the number of apprenticeships, but raised concerns about the increase in the number of university technical colleges (UTCs).
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'As tens of thousands of UCU members prepare for strike action across the UK, the government has clearly set out where its priorities lie with this budget. As big business looks forward to tax cuts, the rest of the country has to try and cope with punishing cuts to vital services and their pensions.
'We welcome the increased number of apprenticeship places, especially at a higher level, as there needs to be room for progression to allow the development of highly-skilled vocational qualifications and skills. We have real concerns about the increase in the number of UTCs. We fear they will divert money away from further education colleges, reintroduce selection at fourteen and create a two-tier system in further education.'
UCU members in 500 universities and colleges are striking tomorrow against plans for greater pension contributions and an increase in the pension age, against a backdrop of a second consecutive real-terms annual pay cut. More details on the strike action can be found at:
Each one percentage point cut in corporation tax costs the exchequer £800m and the chancellor's move will deprive the treasury of £11.2bn over the next four years.
The union welcomed moves to increase the number of apprenticeships, but raised concerns about the increase in the number of university technical colleges (UTCs).
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'As tens of thousands of UCU members prepare for strike action across the UK, the government has clearly set out where its priorities lie with this budget. As big business looks forward to tax cuts, the rest of the country has to try and cope with punishing cuts to vital services and their pensions.
'We welcome the increased number of apprenticeship places, especially at a higher level, as there needs to be room for progression to allow the development of highly-skilled vocational qualifications and skills. We have real concerns about the increase in the number of UTCs. We fear they will divert money away from further education colleges, reintroduce selection at fourteen and create a two-tier system in further education.'
UCU members in 500 universities and colleges are striking tomorrow against plans for greater pension contributions and an increase in the pension age, against a backdrop of a second consecutive real-terms annual pay cut. More details on the strike action can be found at:
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