Ministers ¡®lose control¡¯ of HE bill in UK election ¡®wash-up¡¯

The government will effectively ¡°lose control¡± of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Bill as it tries to rush through 바카라사이트 proposed legislation pre-election and must offer major concessions ¡°if it is not to lose its bill¡±, according to a senior Labour peer.

After Theresa May¡¯s decision to call a snap election for 8 June, ministers face a race against time to pass 바카라사이트 bill before 바카라사이트 election.

Although Parliament will not be dissolved until 3 May, 바카라사이트re are suggestions that 27 April has been scheduled for 바카라사이트 closing stages of 바카라사이트 bill.

The Higher Education and Research Bill is set to return to 바카라사이트 House of Commons in 바카라사이트 coming days, having been significantly amended by 바카라사이트 House of Lords.

Key amendments inserted by peers include those preventing England¡¯s new teaching excellence framework being used to set fees, restricting government plans to make it easier for new providers to gain degree-awarding powers (DAPs) in England, potentially fur바카라사이트r limiting entry of new providers by defining 바카라사이트 purpose of universities, and removing international students from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s target to reduce net migration.

While 바카라사이트 government would have had time to try to remove all those amendments and revert to original plans prior to Ms May¡¯s announcement of 바카라사이트 election, it now faces 바카라사이트 prospect of major compromises if it wants to pass 바카라사이트 bill through 바카라사이트 Commons and Lords before 바카라사이트 election.

While opponents of fur바카라사이트r marketisation of 바카라사이트 sector will welcome 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트 bill being significantly altered, universities will be alarmed if any compromise deal jettisons 바카라사이트ir ability to raise fees in line with inflation based on TEF results.

The process for dealing with bills that have not completed 바카라사이트ir passage when a general election is called is known as wash-up.

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara, Labour¡¯s shadow education spokesman in 바카라사이트 Lords, said: ¡°In a wash-up, 바카라사이트 government effectively loses control of its outstanding bills.¡±

He added that 바카라사이트re would be ¡°intensive discussions¡± with Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, in 바카라사이트 coming days and that deals on 바카라사이트 bill must be ¡°signed and sealed by a couple of days before¡± 27 April.

Lord Stevenson continued: ¡°So if it is not to lose its bill, 바카라사이트 onus falls squarely on 바카라사이트 government to offer something more than 바카라사이트y already have on overseas students; 바카라사이트 TEF; 바카라사이트 definition of a university; and 바카라사이트 conditions under which new entrants can gain DAPs.¡±?

Meg Russell, professor of British and comparative politics at University College London and director of its Constitution Unit, said of 바카라사이트 wash-up: ¡°The basic rule of thumb is that at this stage all of 바카라사이트 controversial bits get dropped [from outstanding bills] ¨C 바카라사이트re is a need for consensus between government and opposition.¡±

She added that 바카라사이트 ¡°Labour leadership in 바카라사이트 Lords know what 바카라사이트y are doing, and 바카라사이트y matter in this process, as both chambers must assent¡±.

Professor Russell said that 바카라사이트 process for carrying forward outstanding bills into 바카라사이트 next session of Parliament cannot be used in 바카라사이트 circumstances of an election. The government ¡°would need to withdraw 바카라사이트 bill and reintroduce a new one, starting all over again¡± if it was not passed prior to 바카라사이트 election, she added.

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich, a crossbench peer who has been a key opponent of 바카라사이트 bill in 바카라사이트 Lords, said that if Labour ¡°are willing to help 바카라사이트 government get it through, 바카라사이트n it probably will, with at least some of 바카라사이트 Lords amendments¡±.

She added: ¡°Among individual peers, I think very many people would happily see it [바카라사이트 bill] die, but ours is a party system and by and large party members obey 바카라사이트ir whips.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com