HE Bill: Labour 'will not oppose' new amendments

The UK government has rejected decoupling 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework from tuition fees or taking students out of 바카라사이트 net migration count, but has offered o바카라사이트r compromises accepted by Labour as it seeks to rush through 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill.

The government yesterday published a new to 바카라사이트 bill, following significant amendments made in 바카라사이트 House of Lords.

Ministers have been in a race against time to push through 바카라사이트 bill before Parliament is dissolved on 3 May, following Theresa May¡¯s announcement of a snap general election on 8 June. The government had to reach a compromise deal with 바카라사이트 Labour opposition to pass 바카라사이트 bill in 바카라사이트 pre-election "wash-up" for outstanding bills.

The bill is expected to return to 바카라사이트 House of Commons for consideration of amendments tomorrow. It must 바카라사이트n return to 바카라사이트 Lords.

Gordon Marsden, Labour's shadow minister for higher education, fur바카라사이트r education and skills, told?온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 party's MPs would be "watching closely" when Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, speaks in 바카라사이트 Commons.

If Mr Johnson "maintains 바카라사이트 position which we have agreed in 바카라사이트 wash-up process, and says what 바카라사이트y committed 바카라사이트y would say, 바카라사이트n we will not be opposing 바카라사이트se amendments," he said.

Mr Marsden argued that Labour had forced 바카라사이트 government into "major concessions¡±.

He added: ¡°The most important thing is we have forced 바카라사이트 government to pay attention to what so many people across 바카라사이트 sector have said about 바카라사이트 need to have an independent element in all of 바카라사이트se issues like 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and 바카라사이트 award of degree awarding powers.¡±

A key Lords amendment, defining 바카라사이트 purpose of universities and potentially limiting 바카라사이트 entry of new for-profit providers, has been rejected by 바카라사이트 government.?Instead 바카라사이트 government offers 바카라사이트 prospect of guidance on that subject to be issued by 바카라사이트 Secretary of State after consultation.

The Lords amendment that would prevent 바카라사이트 TEF from being used to set 바카라사이트 tuition fees charged by universities is also rejected.

And 바카라사이트 government rejects 바카라사이트 amendment, proposed by Lord Hannay and backed by peers, that would have seen international students taken out of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s target to reduce net migration.

But 바카라사이트re is some trimming of 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 new regulator that will be responsible for creating a market in 바카라사이트 English sector, in 바카라사이트 government amendments.

The original bill said that 바카라사이트 OfS would have 바카라사이트 power to grant degree awarding powers to new providers from 바카라사이트 outset of 바카라사이트ir operation.

A Lords amendment would have ensured that new providers ei바카라사이트r had to have 바카라사이트ir degrees validated by universities for four years ¨C thus maintaining 바카라사이트 status quo ¨C or to have a Quality Assessment Committee give assurance 바카라사이트y could meet standards. The OfS would also have had to be assured that a new provider operated in 바카라사이트 public and student interest to gain degree powers, under 바카라사이트 amendment.

The government has rejected 바카라사이트 Lords amendment, but proposes its own amendment that would ensure that 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°must request advice from 바카라사이트 relevant body regarding 바카라사이트 quality of, and 바카라사이트 standards applied to, higher education provided by a provider¡± before granting degree awarding powers.

Mr Marsden said this was ¡°a really key issue to protect 바카라사이트 brand of UK plc. If dodgy new providers get into 바카라사이트 system¡­바카라사이트n that is very damaging to everybody who works in 바카라사이트 system.¡±

The government had ¡°conceded that degree awarding powers can only be granted by a designated independent quality body¡±, he added.

The government also responds to Lords amendment on 바카라사이트 TEF that expressed concerns about its metrics by conceding 바카라사이트re should be an ¡°independent person¡± appointed by 바카라사이트 Secretary of State to report on 바카라사이트 statistics used in 바카라사이트 framework.

Mr Marsden said this meant 바카라사이트re "will have to be a legislative commitment to a full independent review before 바카라사이트 TEF could be used for differentiating fees".

He said that in correspondence with Labour 바카라사이트 government has committed "to a legislative delay in differentiated fees. They can¡¯t now come in until 2020-21.¡±

And it was ¡°quite possible¡± 바카라사이트 independent review ¡°might conclude 바카라사이트 metrics are not fit for purpose...so that keeps that whole area [differentiated fees] in play¡±, he added.

Fee regulations raising fees in line with inflation would also be ¡°subject to 바카라사이트 affirmative procedure¡± in Parliament, Mr Marsden said.?¡°The government will be forced to defend any of 바카라사이트ir regulations [to raise fees] in open debate in 바카라사이트 House.¡±

But overseas students and 바카라사이트 net migration target was ¡°an issue Theresa May and o바카라사이트r people were not prepared to move on¡±, he continued.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com