Office for Fair Access

HC Deb 22 June 2004 vol 422 c1396W

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the role of the Office for Fair Access in university admissions. [176014]

Alan Johnson

Institutions are, and will remain, responsible for their own admissions policies and procedures. The Director of Fair Access will not be concerned with these when he considers institutions' access plans, which will be focused on encouraging applications from under-represented groups. We have accepted an amendment to the Higher Education Bill, which will ensure that the Director must have regard to the need to protect academic freedom, particularly in respect of the admission of students.