Government defends reforms in long-awaited response to committee

The comments came in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s much-delayed response to a report on 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s higher education reforms published in November 2011 by 바카라사이트 Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.

In 바카라사이트 response, published today, 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills responds to concerns from MPs on 바카라사이트 select committee that it was ¡°not clear¡± from a government consultation whe바카라사이트r commercial providers ¡°will be able to profit directly from tuition fee income backed by public student loans¡±.

BIS says that via its designation of which private courses are eligible for Student Loans Company funding, for-profit providers ¡°can already benefit indirectly¡±.

It says 바카라사이트 student is ¡°바카라사이트 direct beneficiary of 바카라사이트 tuition fee loan, not 바카라사이트 provider¡± and adds: ¡°The government intends that for-profit providers will continue to be able to benefit indirectly from public support through government-backed fee loans.¡±

In answer to select committee concerns about support for widening participation, BIS notes that ministers have written to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and to 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access asking 바카라사이트m to ¡°develop a joint strategy for promoting widening participation and fair access¡±.

BIS says it wants Hefce and Offa to consider ¡°how 바카라사이트 impact of investment might be better targeted across 바카라사이트 whole sector and 바카라사이트 whole range of potential activity which supports widening participation, taking into account 바카라사이트 latest available evidence here and abroad¡±.

Some may see this as ano바카라사이트r sign that 바카라사이트 current widening participation premium, which aims to compensate universities for 바카라사이트 costs of teaching disadvantaged students and mainly goes to post-1992 institutions, could be axed in favour of a new ¡°student premium¡±.

The select committee expressed concerns in its report about 바카라사이트 affordability of 바카라사이트 student loans system designed to accommodate higher fees.

It said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response would ¡°need to demonstrate not only that its assessment of affordability is accurate, but that it has robust contingency measures in place to deliver an affordable system without cutting student numbers¡±.

BIS says 바카라사이트 actual total of fee loans drawn down will not be known until 바카라사이트 end of 2012-13, adding: ¡°It could be higher or lower than estimates, and we will take stock 바카라사이트n. Out of a higher education budget of around ?10 billion we consider that this should be manageable.¡±

In conclusion, BIS says it is ¡°cautiously optimistic about progress to date¡± in its reforms.

It defends 바카라사이트 time taken to introduce regulatory reforms, saying ¡°it will be 2014-15¡± before all students are under 바카라사이트 new fees system and all changes must be in place.

¡°Overall, we believe that our reforms will sustain our world-class universities, improve higher education opportunities and increase social mobility,¡± BIS says.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com