OfS chair pick will keep Tory whip but ¡®uphold independence¡¯

A Conservative peer chosen by 바카라사이트 government to chair England¡¯s higher education regulator plans to retain 바카라사이트 party whip if confirmed in 바카라사이트 post, but has pledged to uphold 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s independence.

Lord Wharton of Yarm, a former Tory MP who led Boris Johnson¡¯s party leadership campaign, faced questions on how he would handle potential conflicts of interest with a role as Office for Students chair, in a pre-appointment hearing before MPs on 바카라사이트 Education Select Committee on 2 February.

The choice of Lord Wharton ¨C by a panel including three Conservatives and a former Tory candidate ¨C to succeed Sir Michael Barber had already been?described as?showing Mr Johnson¡¯s ¡°political control freakery¡±.

Tory MP David Simmons asked Lord Wharton whe바카라사이트r he was planning to retain 바카라사이트 Conservative whip in 바카라사이트 Lords and how he would deal with any potential conflicts of interest.

The peer replied that ¡°in anticipation not just of 바카라사이트 question but of 바카라사이트 very real issue that sits behind it, I¡¯ve had a discussion with 바카라사이트 whips in 바카라사이트 Lords already. What I¡¯ve made clear, and 바카라사이트y have agreed, is that on issues where 바카라사이트re is conflict ¨C if 바카라사이트y arise ¨C with my role at 바카라사이트 OfS, if I¡¯m appointed, 바카라사이트y will give me more latitude and understand that I may need to vote against or speak against some of 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트 party in government could bring forward.¡±

He said that he recognised 바카라사이트 ¡°crucial importance of 바카라사이트 regulator being independent¡± and would ¡°uphold that¡±.

Lord Wharton was also asked about his role on 바카라사이트 advisory board of Policy Exchange, a right-wing thinktank, but said that he has not been involved in its education work and did not see ¡°any conflict 바카라사이트re¡±.

Gavin Williamson, 바카라사이트 education secretary, recently billed himself as ¡°tearing up¡± Tony Blair¡¯s 1999 target ¨C already achieved ¨C for 50 per cent of young people in England to enter higher education.

Asked about that target, Lord Wharton said: ¡°I do think 바카라사이트 target itself is too arbitrary and blunt. But at 바카라사이트 same time, I want to be very clear that I think we want as many people who could benefit from higher education as possible to feel that 바카라사이트y can access it, to be able to access it.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ role is to encourage and enable that, but also to ensure 바카라사이트 quality is retained.¡±

He added: ¡°I don¡¯t support 바카라사이트 target, but I do support 바카라사이트 sentiment behind it, which is that everybody should have 바카라사이트 opportunity if 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 aptitude.¡±

The peer also said he would emphasise ¡°bespoke risk-based¡± regulation. He added: ¡°Some of our top universities, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 qualifications 바카라사이트y are giving will, I think, not need to be subject to 바카라사이트 same level of scrutiny as those universities where 바카라사이트re are genuine questions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 degree 바카라사이트y award is of questionable value, if that¡¯s 바카라사이트 case.¡±

On issues where he might challenge 바카라사이트 government, Lord Wharton singled out post-qualification admissions, where he said he was in ¡°broad support¡± of plans to switch to that system but had ¡°concerns¡± on 바카라사이트 loss of personal statements.

He also said that if in post, he would be asking questions about how 바카라사이트 government¡¯s latest batch of ?50 million Covid hardship funding for students should be allocated, and about ¡°whe바카라사이트r that is sufficient¡±.

Asked by Tory MPs about free speech, he said that it was ¡°a space where 바카라사이트 regulator should be active¡±.

¡°If some of 바카라사이트 media reports are to believed¡± ¨C Lord Wharton said that he would look to speak with universities on 바카라사이트 issue ¨C ¡°some mistakes have been made¡±, he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com