26 April 2017 
Matt Sisson, Projects and Membership Manager
We reported last week on doubts about the passage of the English HE Bill, following the snap call for a General Election. The election cut short the legislative schedule in the Commons, and led to uncertainty about which legislation the government would prioritise – with fears the HE Bill might be abandoned altogether. This week the sector has greater clarity, with negotiations behind the scenes leading to a heavily-amended version of the Bill, which is expected to be passed today in the Commons, and become law later in the week. Labour has said it will not oppose the new version, making any further disruption in the process highly unlikely.
As usual, Wonkhe has produced a helpful update on the main changes to the Bill which, among other things, rows back some way on the government’s attempts to open the sector to new entrants, and slows down the roll-out of the TEF. This includes a new ‘independent review’ process inserted for the 17/18 academic year which, although unlikely, allows for the abandonment of the framework altogether. Perhaps the biggest news however is the delay in the linking of tuition fee rises to TEF outcomes until 20/21 at the earliest, and a commitment to parliamentary scrutiny for any future fee rises. This appears to leave the sector with a £9,250 fee for 17/18, and then possible annual future increases in line with RPIX, subject to year-on-year review. Whether the political climate post-election will accommodate further increases remains to be seen.
