Clause 23 - Condition that may be required to be imposed by English funding bodies
Higher Education Bill
2:30 pm
Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland and Lonsdale, Conservative)
I had got one sentence out before we broke for lunch and do not intend to take much time before giving the Minister some news that I hope he will welcome. I had just said that there was cross-party consensus on the objective of widening the social mix of those who enter higher education. Where we differ is on the best means of attaining that objective. It is unfair to penalise universities for difficulties and inequalities that arise from our school system and wider social problems that affect students much earlier in life.
Three views have been advanced in today's useful debate. One is the Government's view that there should be approved access plans with penalties, backed by the office for fair access, OFFA. Another is the Liberal Democrat view that there should be approved access plans with penalties, but without OFFA, which is a mechanistic difference. We, however, do not approve of such access plans, which is a major difference of principle. The Minister rightly said that the amendment was defective when considered in isolation. Although we do not at all question the judgment of the Chair, it had been intended that the amendment would be considered in parallel with amendment No. 1, which was not called. However, in the light of the illuminating debate, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.