Higher Education Bill — Director of Fair Access to Higher Education — 23 Jun 2004 at 14:15

The majority of MPs rejected an amendment from the Lords altering the duties of the Office for Fair Access and arrangements for giving institutions approval to charge the higher level of university tuition fee.

Lords amendment 15 was rejected by the House of Commons. Alan Johnston MP explained what the government felt was wrong with the amendment^[1].

According to Mr Johnston's speech the amendment would have:

• deleted the power of the director of fair access to issue guidance to institutions.
• delegated the regulation-making power on the approval of plans.
• implied a duty on institutions to provide a strategic plan to the funding councils.
• placed a duty on the director [of the Office of Fair Access] to require institutions to supply details of the financial assistance offered to students. (Mr Jonhston added: That is in addition to the strategic plan, which would mean duplicate reporting).

The motion passed read:

• I beg to move, That this House disagrees with the Lords in the said amendment.
• [1] Alan Johnston MP, House of Commons, 23 Jun 2004

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |