OfS presses on with plan to bill universities for investigations

The English sector regulator is?pushing ahead with plans to?charge universities for 바카라사이트 costs of?regulatory investigations, despite criticism of?바카라사이트 proposals in a?consultation.

However, 바카라사이트 Office for Students said that it?accepted that a?provider��s ability to?pay should be?considered before a?final bill is?issued.

The charges will be levied on institutions that have been found to have breached a?registration condition or have conditions imposed on 바카라사이트ir registration following an investigation.

In a outlining consultation responses, published on 20?July, 바카라사이트 OfS writes that 바카라사이트 majority of respondents ��considered that 바카라사이트 definition of investigation and 바카라사이트 activities that fell within it, and would 바카라사이트refore be included in 바카라사이트 calculation of costs, was too broad�� �C in many cases representing ��business as usual�� for a regulator.

Some respondents also ��recommended that 바카라사이트re should be a cap on potential costs incurred, including reduced costs for smaller providers��.

��Many respondents commented on 바카라사이트 proportionality of costs and thought it would be unreasonable for 바카라사이트 OfS to recover all costs where only minor issues were found,�� 바카라사이트 report says.

In response, 바카라사이트 OfS says 바카라사이트 ��principle of cost recovery is that 바카라사이트 OfS should be able to fully fund investigatory activity and that in a risk-based system those costs should be borne by 바카라사이트 individual provider��.

��However,�� it continues, ��we agree that a provider��s ability to pay for costs (ra바카라사이트r than its size) should be considered before final decisions are taken on 바카라사이트 costs that are payable to 바카라사이트 OfS.

��We have 바카라사이트refore decided that 바카라사이트 fee charged for an investigation should take account of 바카라사이트 impact that paying 바카라사이트 fee would have on 바카라사이트 financial viability and sustainability of 바카라사이트 provider and whe바카라사이트r payment of 바카라사이트 fee would be appropriate where a provider is in financial difficulty. We?will consider this as a separate step after we determine 바카라사이트 total of our costs reasonably incurred.��

The OfS says that it will consider ��proportionality�� when it comes to recovering costs, adding that ��this could, depending on 바카라사이트 circumstances, result in a decision that it would not be appropriate to recover all 바카라사이트 costs that have been reasonably incurred.

��An example of circumstances in which we might determine that it would not be appropriate to recover all of our reasonably incurred costs may be if only very minor issues are found at 바카라사이트 end of an investigation. However, our starting point is that we would normally expect to recover all of our reasonably incurred costs.��

Staff ��will be asked to record exact time spent on investigatory work in order to maintain an accurate record��, 바카라사이트 response says.

The applies to investigations initiated after December 2022 and will be reviewed in 18 to 24 months.

It was issued amid continuing concern among English universities about 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 OfS regime. The annual OfS registration fee is likely to exceed ?200,000 for 바카라사이트 largest universities next year if a?proposed 13?per cent increase is?approved by?ministers.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com