This House of Lords Library briefing was written ahead of the Higher Education and Research Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords on 6 December 2016.
Higher Education and Research Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (368 KB , PDF)
The Higher Education and Research Bill would make extensive changes to the way in which higher education is regulated in England, establishing a new regulatory body called the Office for Students (OfS). It would also make changes to the way in which the UK’s seven research councils operate. The Bill provides for the research councils, along with Innovate UK, to be integrated into a new body called United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI). Amongst its other provisions is the establishment of non-interest bearing finance options for students. The Bill’s Explanatory Notes explain that the measures contained in the Bill also:
The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 19 May 2016 and passed third reading on 21 November 2016. Its second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled to take place on 6 December 2016. The Bill was amended by the Government at committee and report stage in the Commons. At report stage these principally related to the monitoring of the financial sustainability of registered higher education providers, promotion of the interests of students on the OfS board and the desirability of at least one UKRI board member having experience in relation to at least one of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A number of non-government amendments were discussed at report stage, with the House of Commons dividing on six of these. Broadly, these amendments related to the modification of student loan repayment terms; the removal of means-tested maintenance grants; the impact of the removal of post study work visas; how the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) scheme could be scrutinised; the considerations the OfS should have when exercising its degree awarding powers; and the relationship between UKRI and the devolved administrations. This briefing focusses on those opposition amendments upon which the House divided, however, it also provides a short discussion on some of the government amendments which were added to the Bill.
Higher Education and Research Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (368 KB , PDF)
In its manifesto ahead of the 2024 general election, the Labour Party stated that if elected it would remove the current exemption from VAT and business rates for independent schools. The impact of this measure has been debated; some estimate a net benefit to the government of £1.3bn to £1.5bn, while others argue it could result in a net cost.
In recent years, many universities have faced financial challenges. This has been attributed to several factors, including the impact of inflation on the real-terms value of tuition fee income from undergraduates, a dependence on international student numbers and increases in the cost of living. These challenges have led to some universities reducing their education provision and staffing allocations.
Modern methods of construction (MMC) refers to a range of building methods that are designed to be more efficient and effective than traditional construction techniques. The House of Lords Built Environment Committee was critical of the Conservative government’s approach to MMC and called for a coherent strategy to promote MMC use in housebuilding. The new Labour government has said it will publish a new long-term housing strategy in the coming months.
