Clause 33 - Duration of plans
Higher Education Bill
10:15 am
Mr Alan Johnson (Minister of State (Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education), Department for Education and Skills; Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, Labour)
The clause specifies that a plan must prescribe the period during which it is to be enforced. Paragraph 8 of the draft regulations states:
''The maximum period of time during which a plan may be in force is five years.''
We have made it absolutely clear that that is our intention. That does not prevent the approval of a new plan when the previous plan expires. In other words, plans may be renewed subject to the approval process. Neither does it prevent the director of fair access and an institution from agreeing to vary the plan at any intervening point. The maximum period is five years. We do not expect to change that, although if in the light of experience six years or four years seemed much better, and there was consensus about that, we would seek to change the regulation. That is the reason for putting this in regulations, rather than in primary legislation. We think that five years is just about right, and so does the sector.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 33 ordered to stand part of the Bill.