- 03/05/2023
- Posted by: Valerie Vaz MP
- Category: News
The House voted on an amendment to the Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill in its Report Stage on Wednesday 3 May 2023. The Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill would establish a new method for calculating the maximum level of tuition fees providers could charge students for higher education courses and modules.
New Clause 1 This new clause would require the Secretary of State to conduct and publish a review on the impact of the Act on various factors after the extension of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to Level 4 courses in Academic Year 2025/26 but not before the extension of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to Level 4, 5 and 6 in Academic Year 2027/28, and then annually.
Review
(1) The Secretary of State must conduct an annual review of the operation of the provisions of this Act.
(2) The first review must take into account the interaction of this Act with Level 4 lifelong loan entitlement provision in the 2025/26 academic year.
(3) The review must consider the impact of the provisions of this Act on—
(a) learner uptake of modular study,
(b) employer spending on lifelong learning, re-training and upskilling opportunities for their employees,
(c) the provision of courses offered by higher education and further education providers,
(d) the financial sustainability of the tertiary education sector,
(e) the Student Loans Company, and
(f) the Office for Students.
(4) The Secretary of State must lay the report on the findings of the first review before Parliament before the end of 2026.
I voted in favour of this Motion, which was not passed, Ayes: 89, Noes: 253.