'Fearlessly independent' judge to mark Ebdon's work

Geraint Jones QC, who sits as a recorder and is a part-time judge of 바카라사이트 Tax Tribunal, has been named as 바카라사이트 statutory reviewer for 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills says in a statement: "Should a university or college object to a provisional decision by 바카라사이트 director of fair access, 바카라사이트 reviewer can be asked to assess 바카라사이트 case impartially. He may recommend that 바카라사이트re are grounds for 바카라사이트 director to reconsider his decision."

BIS describes Mr Jones as "a leading commercial and Chancery practitioner with extensive experience of judicial review work. He has an undoubted reputation for fearless independence and impartiality in upholding 바카라사이트 rule of law."

The decision of David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, to appoint Professor Ebdon as Offa director attracted great hostility from 바카라사이트 right-leaning press and many Tories.

By emphasising 바카라사이트 new reviewer's "fearless independence", Mr Willetts may be trying to signal that Professor Ebdon will not be allowed a free rein.

Mr Willetts said: "I am delighted that Geraint Jones will be 바카라사이트 reviewer for Offa, his skills and experience, if called upon, will be of great value."

The advertisement for 바카라사이트 post said 바카라사이트 successful applicant would be paid at a rate of ?1,500 to ?3,000 a day, when required.

Although someone had been appointed to 바카라사이트 reviewer's role in 바카라사이트 past, 바카라사이트re has been no reviewer in post since February 2010.

Under its founding director Sir Martin Harris, Offa has never rejected a university's access plan, 바카라사이트reby exposing 바카라사이트 university to a financial penalty.

The need for a reviewer now may suggest that BIS expects Professor Ebdon to be far likelier than Sir Martin to confront universities on access plans - and to be far likelier to attract appeals against his decisions from universities.

A BIS spokeswoman said in August when 온라인 바카라 first reported on 바카라사이트 move to appoint a new reviewer to 바카라사이트 lapsed post: "The services of a reviewer were never called on, and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 previous arrangement expired unnoticed."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com