§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will propose an amendment to the Higher Education Bill to require the annual report produced by the Director of Fair Access to be accompanied by an annual debate on the floor of the House; and if he will make a statement. [148262]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer 15 January 2004]We have no plans to make such an amendment. Members of Parliament are always free to seek debates in the House. We have also said that we will establish an independent review, working with the Director for Fair Access to report to this House, based upon the first three years of variable fees, and I am sure there will be an opportunity to debate that report.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the Director for Fair Access will safeguard fair access to higher education if top-up fees are introduced; and if he will make a statement. [148263]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer 15 January 2004]From 2006, no institution will be able to charge higher fees without having an Access Plan approved by the Director of Fair Access. This will include details of the action they will take to safeguard access, including offering financial support (including bursaries) and running outreach activities. The Director of Fair Access will also have the responsibility for renewing and monitoring reports on the implementation of Access Plans.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information must be contained in the plan that a higher education institution must provide to the Director of Fair Access in order to increase fees above the basic rate; and if he will make a statement. [148264]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer 15 January 2004]An access plan must include the levels of fee the institution wishes to charge for its courses. We also intend, through 955W regulations, that an institution should include in its access plan details of the financial assistance (including bursaries) they will offer; how it will attract applications through outreach activities; how it will inform prospective students about financial assistance available to them; and set out its own objectives in widening participation. Institutions will also need to set out how they will monitor their compliance with the plan and progress against their objectives.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will break down the planned expenditure for the proposed Office for Fair Access by(a) salaries and staff, (b) office, (c) personal expenses and (d) other costs; and if he will make a statement. [148266]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer on 15 January 2004]We have said in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which we published alongside the Higher Education Bill that OFFA's costs will average around £500,000 per year. We will provide further detail in due course.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Office for Fair Access will continue the system of fining universities that do not meet their benchmarks for participation from under-represented social groups. [148569]
§ Alan JohnsonThere is no current system of fining institutions because they do not meet their benchmarks and neither will OFFA do so.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) whether he intends to set a cap on the level of specified financial requirements that the Higher Education Funding Council for England can impose on universities breaking the terms of their access agreements; [148571]
(2) what notice the Director of Fair Access must give to universities under the provisions of section 35 (1)(b) of the Higher Education Bill;[148572]
(3) what estimate he has made of the average length of time that an access agreement between the Director of Fair Access and each individual university will last. [148570]
§ Alan JohnsonWe intend to publish our draft regulations during the passage of the HE Bill which will provide information about access plans, and how the Director of Fair Access will operate.