Request 98/271998 Planning return and financial forecasts
The electronic version of this document does not contain the tables that appear in the printed version of the document. Executive summaryPurpose 1. This document requires institutions to send us updated planning information which includes the financial forecasts for the period up to 2001-02. Key points 2. The data will: a. Show the coherence of institutions' objectives and strategies, and how far they are consistent with the broad policy objectives of the Government and the Council. b. Indicate the future financial health of individual institutions. c. Identify trends in the sector. d. Help us to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the funding needs of institutions. To do this effectively, data must be in a consistent format, and plans have to be realistic. 3. We also intend to refer to institutions' strategies when considering bids for special initiative funds, and when allocating student numbers under the new funding method for teaching. 4. We expect institutions to produce strategic plans as a matter of course for their own purposes. It is not our role to approve these plans. Action required 5. A list of the information required is given in paragraph 11. Institutions should send all documents, and the completed disk, to their Higher Education Adviser to arrive by 10 July 1998. 6. Institutions that offer initial teaching training should also make returns to the Teaching Training Agency by 10 July 1998 (see paragraphs 14 to 16). Background7. In the spring of each year we have asked institutions to submit strategic plans, financial forecasts and estates data. These have been collected together. We have used the information for various purposes, particularly monitoring institutions' financial health, and informing our advice to the DfEE on the needs of the sector. 8. In March we issued HEFCE 98/13 'Institutions' corporate plans', which invited institutions to comment on proposals to change the format and content of plans, and the timing of submissions. 9. The main responses to the consultation were as follows: a. Institutions should develop corporate plans, to be collected by the Council on an individual three-year cycle to be agreed with each institution. b. Policy or business strategies on specific issues should be collected when they are needed. c. Institutions should submit updated estate strategies in accordance with their estates planning cycles. d. Annual operating statements should be reintroduced as part of the annual planning return. e. The annual planning return should continue to be collected in July. f. Institutions would like guidelines on good practice on planning at the corporate level. 10. More detailed information about the introduction of corporate plans will be provided in due course. Returns to the HEFCE 11. As indicated in HEFCE consultation 98/13 all institutions should send the following to their Higher Education Adviser by 10 July 1998: a. A copy of the current strategic plan if this has been updated since the summer of 1997. b. Data, including the financial forecast data and commentary, for the period to 2001-02 (see paragraph 17). The data should also be returned on the disk, which will be sent to the Director of Finance for each institution. c. Their annual operating statement (see paragraphs 18 and 19). d. Contact names in the institution for the strategic plan, financial forecasts and annual operating statement. 12. Estates returns are not required as part of this return. The programme for annual estates returns will be decided once the study of comparative estates statistics has been completed in the autumn of 1998. 13. We need three copies of all the documents, so institutions can send either:
Returns to the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) 14. The Chief Officer of the TTA has the Lead Accounting Officer role for the following five colleges:
These colleges should also send a copy of all the information requested in paragraph 11 to: 15. All other institutions that receive funding from the TTA should send a copy just of their current strategic plan to Sheena Evans at the TTA, if this has been updated since the summer of 1997. 16. Institutions should also provide specific details about their recent and planned recruitment to ITT courses, broken down by phase (primary or secondary), level (undergraduate or postgraduate), and between courses of different lengths. They should state whether changes in delivery affecting total ITT student numbers are already under way, and when they started. This information will inform any HEFCE allocations for structural diversification. Data 17. To help us analyse the data, and report back to the sector, information should be provided in a consistent format, following the guidance in Annexes A to E. a. Annex A gives detailed guidance on completing the financial forecast tables. The student number returns are designed to be consistent with the HESES97 tables, which institutions completed in autumn 1997, and with the TTA's survey of recruitment to ITT. b. Annex B gives guidance on and a template for the commentary to the financial forecasts. c. Annex C gives further guidance on completing the financial forecast tables, including assumptions about future HEFCE and TTA funding which institutions may wish to take into account in preparing their forecasts. d. Annex D shows print-outs of the tables for the financial forecasts and student and staff numbers. These are for reference only: institutions are asked to complete these tables on the disk provided to the Director/Head of Finance. e. Annex E provides information about the provisional quality-related (QR) research funds for 1999-2000. Annual operating statement 18. Over 80 per cent of institutions that responded to the consultation agreed that we should reintroduce the requirement for an annual operating statement. We will therefore ask HEIs to include their annual operating statement with their 1999 planning returns. 19. If a statement is available for inclusion with this return, the institution should send a copy to its Higher Education Adviser. Late returns 20. Some institutions may have meetings of their governing body to approve the budgets and financial forecasts shortly after the return date of 10 July 1998. In such cases, we will consider requests for a limited extension to the deadline. Institutions should contact their Finance Adviser as soon as possible, and write to us asking for a late submission, with the date of the meeting and the date we will receive the forecasts. Confidentiality 21. We will treat institution-specific information as strictly confidential. However, we may issue summary analyses of the data provided. Annex AFinancial forecasts 1998: guidance notesIntroduction 1. Financial forecasts represent the strategic plan in financial terms and are integral to it. They should be institutions' own forecasts, based on their assessment of the most realistic assumptions over the period covered by the strategic plan and/or annual operating statements. Objectives 2. Our objectives in requesting financial forecasts are: a. To monitor the financial health of institutions, and identify which ones have, or may have, serious financial difficulties. b. To find out whether institutions' strategic, estates and financial plans are integrated. 3. In addition, these data will be used to inform our advice to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the financial needs of the higher education sector. Accounting conventions 4. The main tables of financial forecasts follow the format of the 'Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting in Higher Education Institutions' (SORP), introduced from 1 August 1994, as updated by 'Financial Reporting Standard 1 (Revised 1996): Cash Flow Statements'. Where more detailed information is required, the form of the 'Finance Statistical Return 1996-97' (FSR), published by HESA, has generally been adopted. In particular, institutions should apply the Definition of Terms in Part 2 of the SORP, paragraphs 8 to 21, when completing the return. (Institutions should not make adjustments to reflect the proposed changes to the accounting treatment for provisions as set out in Financial Reporting Exposure Draft 14, Provisions and Contingencies). Consolidation 5. The financial forecasts should cover the institution and all its subsidiary undertakings. If an institution has subsidiary undertakings, the financial forecasts should be consolidated in accordance with 'Financial Reporting Standard No 2: Accounting for Subsidiary Undertakings' (FRS 2). Student Unions should be consolidated where this is the agreed treatment for that institution. Rounding 6. All money should be shown in units of £1,000 and where necessary be independently rounded to the nearest £1,000. Tables to be completed 7. The forecasts cover a six-year period starting with the last completed and audited year; then the current year; and then the next four years. They comprise the following tables:
Commentary 8. Institutions should also provide a commentary on the financial forecasts using the template shown at Annex B. This can be found on the disk in Word version 6 and WordPerfect 5.1. Guidance on what to include under each heading is given in Annex B. The commentary should explain how the financial forecasts represent the institution's strategic plan in terms of its financial policies and the strategies for achieving them, and provide supporting information on the financial forecasts. Queries 9. Institutions should address questions about completing the financial forecasts to their Finance Adviser:
Guidance on tables Table 1: Income and Expenditure Account Heads 1 to 6 Head 7: Staff Costs Head 8: Depreciation Head 9: Other Operating Expenses a. Payments to non-contracted staff or individuals. b. Expenditure on equipment which has not been capitalised. c. Restructuring costs. d. Charges to long-term maintenance provision. Head 12: Exceptional Items Head 13: Surplus/(Deficit) after Depreciation of Assets at Valuation and before Tax Head 14: Taxation Head 15: Minority Interest Heads 16 and 17: Surplus/(Deficit) after Depreciation of Assets at Valuation and Tax Head 18: Difference Between a Historical Cost Depreciation Charge and the Actual Depreciation Charge for the Year Calculated on the Revalued Amount Head 19: Realisation of Property Revaluation Gains of Previous Years Head 20: Historical Costs Surplus/(Deficit) after Tax Table 2a: Analysis of Income 22. Table 2a provides analysis of the five main income headings in Table 1, with totals transferred automatically to Table 1. Head 1: Funding Council Grants Sub-head 1a: HEFCE Teaching 24. Heading 1a, ii. Where institutions wish to incorporate assumptions about growth in student numbers for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 in the light of the Government's preliminary announcement about additional places in further and higher education by 2002, these should be included under head 1a ii. Please note that you should make realistic assumptions about your institution's share of any assumed growth in the HE sector and these should be priced at the average for the price groups. Sub-head 1b: HEFCE Research Sub-head 1c: HEFCE Non-formula Funding/Special Funding Sub-head 1d: HEFCE Release of Deferred Capital Grants Sub-head 1e: HEFCE Formula Capital Funding Sub-head 1f: HEFCE Other Grants a. Reimbursement of inherited liabilities for staff, leases and interest on debts. (The capital element of reimbursed inherited debt should be credited directly to the revaluation reserve.) b. Special Initiatives. Grants for special initiatives should be taken to income in the year in which they are awarded, unless specifically earmarked for use in future years. c. Hunter or KDK which are not being capitalised. (This applies to 1996-97 and 1997-98 only as no further payments are made under this scheme after 31 March 1998.) Sub-head 1g: FEFC Recurrent Grants Sub-head 1h: TTA Mainstream ITT Funding Sub-head 1i: TTA INSET Funding Sub-head 1j: TTA Partnership Funding Sub-head 1k: Other Funding Head 2: Academic Fees and Support Grants 36. Where fees are wholly or partly waived, the income due though not received should be included, that is the income should be gross and not net. The costs of any waivers falling to institutions should be shown under other operating expenses. Payment from an outside fund to meet the cost of fees, for example from the Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS), should be shown as if it were fees income. 37. Credit-bearing Continuing Education (CE) courses should be treated as part-time or full-time credit-bearing courses, as appropriate. Sub-head 2a: Full-time UG Home and EU Students - Existing Students
39. Fees income from Local Education Authorities paid in respect of students in receipt of means-tested awards under the new fee arrangements should not be included under this head, but should be included under sub-head 2b. 40. It should include fees for UK domiciled students charged at the mandatory home fee rate; and fees for non-UK domiciled students, including EU students, charged at the mandatory home fee rate. Sub-head 2b: Full-time UG Home and EU Students - New entrants Sub-head 2c: Full-time PG Home and EU Students) Sub-head 2d: Part-time Fees Sub-head 2e: Overseas Students Sub-head 2f: Fees from NHS Contracts Sub-head 2g: Other Fees and Support Grants a. All fee income received from non-credit-bearing Liberal Adult Education, Continuing Education or extra-mural courses. b. Fee income received for FE/non-advanced courses. c. Income received from other institutions as payment for teaching students who are principally registered at those institutions. This may arise, for example, under some 'franchising' arrangements, or where another institution 'sub-contracts' the teaching of part of a course. d. All grants made by Research Councils and other bodies to support the training of research students. It should include bench fees, Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE), and other awards. e. Any registration, retaining, examination and re-examination fees that are separately charged to Home and EU students. Head 3: Research Grants and Contracts Sub-head 3a: Research Councils Sub-head 3b: UK-based Charities Sub-head 3c: Other Research Grants and Contracts Head 4: Other Operating Income Sub-head 4b: Residences and Catering Operation Sub-head 4c: Income from NHS contracts Sub-head 4d: Other Operating Income a. Grants from local authorities. These should be treated as revenue or capital according to the purpose for which the grant will be used: revenue grants and releases from any deferred capital grants should be shown here. b. A capital grant, from a source other than a Funding Council, towards financing the construction or acquisition of a fixed asset. Where it is not capitalised the grant should be shown here in full. Where the asset is capitalised the annual release from the deferred credit account should shown here. c. All other grants from sources other than a Funding Council should be shown here, except for research activities or services rendered which should be included under sub-heads 3b or 4a respectively. d. All income received from intellectual property rights such as licences and patents. e. Other operating income not covered above, including the Trans-European Mobility Programme for University Students (TEMPUS) and ERASMUS grants. f. Income to fund NHS clinical posts in teaching hospitals which does not form part of a contractual arrangement (sub-head 4c) or provision of a service (sub-head 4a). Head 5: Total Endowment Income and Interest Receivable a. The amount of income from the investment of specific endowments that matches the expenditure incurred on the purpose for which the endowment was provided. Where endowment capital is used to meet the expenditure this should be included here. b. The full amount of income from investing general endowments, including interest, dividends, bank interest or rental income. c. Other investment income and interest receivable, including:
Head 6: Total Income Table 2b: Analysis of Separable Activities 58. The income figures are imported automatically from Table 1. These will generate a flag identifying those activities which require more information. Expenditure attributable to each of the activities should be input, showing all direct expenditure including staff costs and other operating expenses as well as attributable depreciation and interest. Table 3: Balance Sheet 59. Access funds received and paid should not be included in the Income and Expenditure Account, but the balance should be included in the Balance Sheet. Head 1: Fixed Assets Sub-head 1a: Tangible Assets Sub-head 1b: Investments Head 2: Endowment Asset Investments Head 3: Current Assets Sub-head 3b: Debtors Sub-head 3c: Investments Sub-head 3d: Cash in Hand and at Bank Head 4: Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year Sub-head 4a: Creditors Sub-head 4b: Current Portion of Long-term Liabilities Sub-head 4c: Bank Overdrafts Head 5: Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) Head 6: Total Assets Less Current Liabilities Head 7: Creditors: Amounts Falling Due After More Than One Year Sub-head 7a: Reimbursable by the Funding Council Sub-head 7b: External Borrowings Sub-head 7c: Other Long-term Creditors Head 8: Provisions for Liabilities and Charges a. The balance of amounts set aside to meet the future costs of enhanced pensions for staff no longer employed by the institution or its subsidiary undertakings, as required under SSAP 24: Accounting for Pension Costs. b. All other amounts set aside on a regular and/or planned basis to meet estimated future liabilities or costs. 79. Details of all provisions should be disclosed in the commentary and on Table 6c. Head 9: Total Assets Less Liabilities Head 10: Deferred Capital Grants Head 11: Total Net Asset Head 12: Endowments Sub-head 12b: General Endowments Head 13: Reserves 86. The movements on the Revaluation Reserve should be detailed in the commentary. Sub-head 13b: Minority Interest Sub-head 13c: Income and Expenditure Account Table 4a: Cash Flow 89. This should be completed in accordance with 'Financial Reporting Statement 1 (Revised 1996): Cash Flow Statements'. Items included in lines 2e, 4h, and 8d should be explained in the commentary. Table 4b: Reconciliation of Surplus 90. This should provide a reconciliation between the Operating Surplus/(Deficit) and the net Cash Flow. Table 5: Major assumptions 91. This table asks for the main assumptions underpinning the financial forecast. The information on pay inflation (line 1), incremental drift (line 2) and staff numbers (line 3) should explain the year-on-year movements in total staff costs in Table 1. Where there are other factors affecting the projected staff costs and year-on-year movements, these should be explained in the commentary. Similarly, if there are other elements of income or expenditure which are not explained by the factors included in this table, further information should be given in the commentary. Tables 6a-6f Supporting Data 92. These tables provide further information to support the income and expenditure account and balance sheet. 93. Table 6d gives details of long-term borrowing: further guidance on how to calculate the annualised servicing costs for long-term borrowings is given in Annex E of HEFCE 98/08 1998 'Mid-year financial returns'. Table 6e: Long-term operating expense commitments Table 6f: Analysis of PFI projects 96. The return also requires institutions to specify the inflator used to adjust the contract payments year by year. A typical PFI contract will normally express such an inflator in relation to a generally accepted index such as RPI. For the purposes of this return, institutions should interpret the inflator in terms of the percentage which they are using in their own internal financial planning. Table 7: Sensitivity Analysis 97. The purpose of the sensitivity analysis is to indicate the financial effects of a number of scenarios on the overall forecast financial results of institutions. Details for scenarios 1 to 8 are automatically updated from the information contained in preceding tables. Scenarios 9 to 13 will require manual input. 98. Scenarios 1 to 4 cover the cumulative impact of annual changes which would compound over the forecast period if no action were taken; scenarios 5 to 7 cover the cumulative impact of step changes in 1998-99 if no action were taken in that or subsequent years. 99. Scenarios 9 to 13 are only required to be completed where income from that source represents more than 5 per cent of the institution's total income. This will be indicated in the table itself based on the information contained in Table 2a. 100. The commentary should include a summary of the implications of each scenario and a description of the actions which would be taken if these scenarios came about, either individually, in combination, or collectively. It would be helpful to separate the actions into those which relate to the compounded annual changes and those which relate to the step changes from 1998-99. Tables 8a and 8b: Performance Indicators 101. These are calculated automatically. Tables 9a to 9e: Student Numbers 102. The tables are designed to be consistent with the HESES97 survey, which institutions completed in autumn 1997, and to keep the data requested to a minimum. For definitions of price groups, mode of study and level of study please refer to that survey (HEFCE 97/24). None of the student number data will be used for funding purposes. The following modifications have been made to the tables which were completed for the HESES97 survey: a. For each year, it is necessary to complete only two columns: 'Home and EC' (both fundable and non-fundable) and 'Island and Overseas'. b. Tables 9a and 9b ask for the total number of full-time and sandwich undergraduate and postgraduate students in price groups A, B, C and D and psychology. In addition, all students on initial teacher training (ITT) courses which lead to qualified teacher status (QTS); and, all students holding QTS who are on an in-service education of teachers (INSET) course. This includes all years of programme of study. c. Table 9c asks for the number of new entrants and existing students as defined by the DfEE. Table 9c is a subset of table 9a; numbers included in this table should also be included in table 9a. d. Tables 9d to 9e ask for forecasts of ITT student numbers, broken down according to phase (primary or secondary) and 14 secondary subject groups. Primary registrations should not be split into subject areas. Within the 14 secondary subject groups:
e. Table 9f asks for forecasts of full-time and sandwich medical and dental student number forecast. Table 9f is a subset of table 9a; numbers included in this table should also be included in table 9a. Students to be Counted 103. Institutions should, in the first instance, refer to Annexes C and D of HEFCE 97/24 for details of which students are to be included in this return. They should include HE students at associate colleges and those who are franchised out. 103. Consistent with HESES97, this return counts all years of programme of study for students studying towards qualifications and not full-time equivalents. 104. Existing students should be those as defined by the DfEE as:
105. New entrants as defined by the DfEE are those who are not on courses of higher education already and who do not fall into any of the categories outlined above. 106. NHS students should only be those for which income is received from the Department of Health, Regional Health Authorities or NHS Trusts in respect of courses provided for NHS personnel. Students receiving nursing and midwifery training should be included. 107. Students recorded under initial teacher training (ITT) should be all and only those on courses which lead to qualified teacher status upon successful completion. Institutions should enter details of ITT student numbers on Tables 9d to 9e only. ITT student numbers on Tables 9a to 9c do not require input, as these will be calculated automatically from the data recorded on the separate ITT tables. 108. Medical and dental students should be only those on programmes of study that would normally lead to a first registrable medical or dental qualification. Annex BFinancial Forecasts 1998: commentary guidance notesInstitutions should provide a detailed commentary on their forecasts which covers the following areas. 1. Introduction This gives the context in which the forecasts have been prepared. It should also describe the institution's financial strategy, policies and targets (such as levels of surplus, cash balances and reserves), its plans for achieving them, and how they are reflected in the forecasts. 2. Strategic context The financial strategy and policies identified above should then be set in the context of the institution's strategic plan and/or annual operating statement. The annual operating statement should provide an update on immediate past performance and targets for the next year in the context of the institution's overall aims and objectives. Please comment in particular on the financial implications of:
3. Exceptional items Where exceptional items have been included in Table 1 head 12 in any year of the forecasts, details of the exceptional items should be provided. 4. Major assumptions Table 5 contains the major assumptions for each academic year. Where the assumptions relating to a specific line of income or expenditure (or in the case of staff costs the combined impact of the relevant assumptions) do not fully explain the year-on-year changes, further details of what else has led to these changes should be provided. If there are any other key assumptions, not included in this table, which underpin the information included in the financial forecasts, further details should be provided here. 5. Specific actions taken to ensure continued financial viability This provides an opportunity for institutions to set out the actions that they have taken or expect to take to ensure that expenditure does not exceed income, taking one year with another, as required in the Financial Memorandum with the HEFCE. They should indicate not only the impact on the figures, but the consequences for staff and the student experience, and the effect on teaching and research provision and the institution's estate. 6. Changes in significant areas of separable income/expenditure (Table 2b) Table 2b identifies the significant income-generating activities and the related expenditure in order to demonstrate how much these areas contribute to the overall surplus of the institution. For each area which has been flagged please comment specifically on:
7. Details of other significant increases or decreases over the forecast period These should link back to the assumptions made in preparing the forecasts, and cover any other significant changes in income, expenditure, assets and liabilities, not identified above. 8. Analysis of reserves and reserve movements Any movements on the Income and Expenditure Account Reserve as shown on the Balance Sheet, that do not relate to the surplus/(deficit) for the year, or transfers from the revaluation reserve, should be described in detail in the commentary. 9. Other long-term creditors Table 3 head 7c gives the total of long-term creditors that are not regarded as borrowings. Details of these balances should be provided. 10. Sensitivity analysis This should detail the implications of each of these scenarios and the actions which the institution expects to take if scenarios 1 to 8 on Table 7 come about, either individually or in combination. Institutions need only provide comments on scenarios 9 to 13 where they are flagged. 11. Cash flow statements Details of Other Items, at heads 2, 4, and 8 of Table 4a, should be provided as set out in the template. 12. Commentary approval The commentary should be signed and dated by the institution's Director/Head of Finance. Template
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| AY 1997-98 | 2.77% | |
| AY 1998-99 | 2.80% | |
| AY 1999-2000 | 2.57% | |
| AY 2000-01 | 2.50% | |
| AY 2001-02 | 2.50% |
Assumptions about HEFCE funding
Baseline funding levels for teaching and research
3. In November 1998 the DfEE announced the funding to be provided for higher education for the financial year 1998-99. An announcement on funding for 1999-2000 and subsequent financial years is expected in July once the Government's comprehensive spending review is completed. The 1998-99 recurrent grant allocations represented a 2.7 per cent increase in resources compared with 1997-98, or a reduction in real terms of less than 1 per cent, when volume changes are taken into account. For subsequent years institutions should assume a 1 per cent real terms reduction in unit funding for core teaching and research: that is in resource terms (grant and fees combined). Within this overall assumption the £1,000 tuition fee should be maintained in cash terms.
Funding for teaching
4. Recurrent grant Table B, issued on 3 March 1998, or as subsequently revised, sets out institutions' recurrent funding for teaching for 1998-99 and their percentage difference from standard resource. Institutions should reflect any separately agreed migration strategies in their assumptions about funding for teaching, student numbers and fee income.
5. For the purposes of preparing the forecasts only, institutions should assume that the following standard migration policy will apply, unless they have had separate agreement to any variation:
a. Where the percentage difference from standard resource is within the ±5 per cent tolerance band, HEFCE funding will roll forward from one year to the next, subject to assumptions about inflation and baseline reductions (see paragraph 3).
b. Where the percentage difference from standard resource is above +5 per cent, institutions may increase their student numbers so that they fall within the ±5 per cent tolerance band by 2000-01. We will deduct from our grant the regulated fee income (£1,000 per FTE) for such increases in students. Where institutions are unable to increase students sufficiently, their migration will be achieved through holdback of grant.
c. Where the percentage difference from standard resource is below -5 per cent, we will allocate additional funding equivalent to up to 1 per cent of standard resource per annum during the period 1998-99 to 2000-01. Any additional funding will be limited to the commitments already made, but should be subject to assumptions about inflation and baseline reductions (see paragraph 3). For example, an institution currently at -6.8 per cent, will have received additional funding equivalent to 1 per cent of standard resource in 1998-99; in 1999-2000 the additional funding will be limited to 0.8 per cent of standard resource; and in 2000-01 it will be zero. Any further reduction in the percentage difference from standard resource will require migration through changes in recruitment only.
d. Where the percentage difference from standard resource is below -8 per cent, we will allocate additional funding equivalent to 1 per cent of standard resource per annum during the period 1998-99 to 2000-01. Any additional funding will be limited to the commitments already made, but should be subject to assumptions about inflation and baseline reductions (see paragraph 3). Institutions will also need to reduce their student numbers, so that they fall within the ±5 per cent tolerance band by 2000-01. We will provide additional funding equivalent to the regulated fee income for such reductions in students.
e. If further guidance is required, institutions should contact their Higher Education Adviser. Any institution that has reached specific agreements with us should use these in their forecasts, and provide details of the year-on-year changes in the commentary.
6. Only full-time postgraduate research students in year 1 and part-time postgraduate research students in years 1 and 2 are funded through the funding method for teaching. As for 1998-99 funding, full-time postgraduate research students in years 2 and 3 and part-time research students in years 3 to 6 in departments rated below 3b in the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise will not be counted in the teaching model. Baseline teaching funds associated with such students from the 1997-98 teaching allocations will be subject to the rules of migration.
7. Institutions should include funding for additional student numbers for 1998-99. The Government has announced an additional 500,000 places for further and higher education by 2002. For 1999-2000 to 2001-02, institutions should make a realistic assumption about the higher education share of these additional numbers for each year; and about their own share of those higher education numbers. Additional student numbers should be priced at the average for the price groups.
8. For the purposes of preparing the forecasts only, institutions may assume that the transfer of funding to the Department of Health for certain students in the health care professions will have a neutral impact on their overall income.
Funding for research
9. Institutions should assume for the purposes of preparing the forecasts only that:
a. Funds for quality-related (QR) research will roll forward from 1998-99 subject to the quanta changes shown at Annex E. These provisional figures for 1999-2000 arise from the implementation of the unmoderated quanta from our new funding method for research.
b. Funds for generic research (GR) will roll forward.
Special funding
10. Allocations which have been announced for 1998-99 or subsequent years should be included.
11. Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) allocations should only be included if institutions have been told that they will receive them.
Inherited liabilities
12. For the purposes of the forecasts only, institutions should assume that we will continue to reimburse:
a. Non-residential rents and leases until their renewal date. Institutions should take account of our policy for renewals of non-residential rents and leases. If any capitalisations are planned, they should not be included in the forecasts.
b. Inherited debts. If any buy-outs are planned, they should not be reflected, as the financial impact will be neutral.
c. Inherited staff liabilities.
Capital projects
13. Specific capital grants should only be included where we have already agreed the funding.
Assumptions about TTA funding
ITT
14. The TTA has already announced the units of funding for ITT in 1998-99. Gains and losses resulting from the introduction of the price tariff in 1997-98 will continue to be capped at 5 per cent per year.
15. Intake targets for primary ITT are planned to increase from 11,500 in 1998-99 to 12,000 in 1999-2000. Intake targets for secondary ITT are planned to decrease from 19,100 in 1998-99 to 19,000 in 1999-2000, although there are considerable variations between subjects. Institutions should give details in the financial forecast commentary of any assumptions made for changes in intakes to primary and secondary ITT.
16. The transfer of resources to partner schools associated with the shift to schools-based training of teachers should be included, and disclosed separately in the commentary to the forecasts.
INSET
17. The TTA has already announced allocations of INSET funding for 1998-99 under its new competitive bidding mechanism. Institutions funded in 1997/98 will receive 75 per cent of the funding they would otherwise have received under previous arrangements, and may also receive bid-related allocations. A number of other institutions, not previously funded, will receive bid-related allocations for 1998-99. Institutions should provide details in the commentary to the forecasts of any assumptions made, given that holdback arrangements will apply to all allocations.
Capital funding
18. Capital funding for both ITT and INSET is subsumed in the TTA's ITT and INSET budgets; its distribution reflects the pattern of ITT and INSET allocations for 1998-99.