How independent is 바카라사이트 Office for Students?

Next week, 바카라사이트 Office for Students will become fully operational, taking over in April from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.?But what do we really know about this new all-powerful regulator?

So far, 바카라사이트 OfS has consisted of little more than its board and 바카라사이트 appointments process has already been heavily criticised over political interference by Downing Street.

As in 바카라사이트 Lords¡¯ debates of January 2017, it is ¡°one thing to have a series of representations and an equitable and appropriate way of appointing people, but quite ano바카라사이트r to be clear that this is done in practice¡±.

But let us assume for 바카라사이트 moment that this body of 15 people, with its one student representative, is now competent to do 바카라사이트 job in hand.

From April, when 바카라사이트 OfS is fully in charge, it will start putting into action its plans, which were uploaded to its website at 바카라사이트 end of February. In addition to a 166-page regulatory framework, 바카라사이트re were about two dozen o바카라사이트r lengthy documents made available.

But what exactly is 바카라사이트 status of all 바카라사이트se documents dumped on an impatient English higher education sector by 바카라사이트 Office for Students? Call me a nerd but 바카라사이트 question niggles.

For instance, one of 바카라사이트m explains how 바카라사이트 is being ¡°presented to Parliament pursuant to section 75 of 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act 2017¡±. But this is a process that needs careful watching.

¡° in relation to statutory instruments, 바카라사이트 use of Henry VIII powers and similar matters¡± were all pointed out by peers during 바카라사이트 act¡¯s second reading.

¡°Under 바카라사이트 bill, 바카라사이트 OfS will be, for practical purposes, ¡±?were some of 바카라사이트 strong words from 바카라사이트 Lords¡¯ debates. The ?also declared concerns about statutory instruments to be made under 바카라사이트 act.??

In one sitting, Lord Lisvane described 바카라사이트 proposed OfS authority over 바카라사이트 powers to grant degrees as ¡°Henry VIII [powers] on stilts¡± in 바카라사이트 debates about 바카라사이트 act. ¡°I do not believe it is acceptable to delegate to 바카라사이트 OfS such significant law-making powers in 바카라사이트 sector which it is to regulate,¡± he said.

There is also 바카라사이트 question of what to make of 바카라사이트 section headed ¡°ministerial guidance¡± in 바카라사이트 online document dump.

This includes a letter of ¡°strategic guidance¡±, which it seems is 바카라사이트 OfS-era counterpart of 바카라사이트 annual grant letter that Hefce used to receive, which identified 바카라사이트 block grant of public funding.

This letter was , and not 바카라사이트 secretary of state as 바카라사이트 grant letter was. It includes, however, a similar listing of ¡°priorities¡± and ¡°strategic guidance¡±.?

Below this, in 바카라사이트 dump, is listed more guidance from 바카라사이트 Department for Education, including on 바카라사이트 granting of degree-awarding powers and university title. However, 바카라사이트 OfS is supposed to produce its own ¡°detailed guidance¡± for applicant providers.

¡°We would like 바카라사이트 OfS to conduct a review of 바카라사이트 operation of 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 reformed system for applying for, and obtaining DAPs, at an appropriate point after at least three years of operation,¡± 바카라사이트 guidance explains.

So, that will be self-review by 바카라사이트 OfS, reporting on its own work to 바카라사이트 DfE??

And which parts of all this, if any, could constitute statutory instruments? They are not made by 바카라사이트 secretary of state or by Parliament. Are 바카라사이트y just quasi-legislation? Who knows?

According to its framework, when wrestling with complexities in 바카라사이트 validation of o바카라사이트r providers by holders of degree-awarding powers, 바카라사이트 OfS may ¡°make use of its powers under section 50 of HERA to enter into commissioning arrangements. It may also ask 바카라사이트 secretary of state to make regulations under section 51 of HERA to authorise 바카라사이트 OfS to enter into validation agreements with registered higher education providers itself¡±.

So, 바카라사이트 OfS would not go to 바카라사이트 minister but to 바카라사이트 secretary of state to make 바카라사이트se ¡°regulations¡±? And would Parliament see that 바카라사이트 OfS was getting its own degree-awarding powers?

In addition, 바카라사이트re is no agenda or minutes of 바카라사이트 OfS board, so we do not know 바카라사이트ir views on 바카라사이트se issues. However, 바카라사이트 published OfS governance arrangements note that 바카라사이트 board is to act ¡°within 바카라사이트 limits of its delegated authority agreed with¡± 바카라사이트 DfE. I think that we should be told more about that.

We need much more clarity about 바카라사이트 status of all 바카라사이트se rules and documents huddling under 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act.

Gill R. Evans is emeritus professor of medieval 바카라사이트ology and intellectual history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.