Office for Students

Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab) and Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) (Lab) asked the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, to assess the effectiveness of the Office for Students (OfS). In her response, the Secretary of State acknowledged that universities have been treated as political battlegrounds for too long, and stated that this Labour Government will treat them as engines of opportunity and growth. She noted that she had published the report of the independent review of the OfS, led by Sir David Behan, who has been appointed as the interim chair. The Secretary of State said that under new leadership and with a sharpened remit, the OfS will concentrate on securing the future of universities and putting students first. In a follow-up, Matt Western welcomed the Secretary of State's appointment and noted that the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee had been critical of the OfS, feeling that it was serving neither the students nor the providers. He asked what plans the Secretary of State has to reset the relationship with the OfS so that it gives renewed focus to the students it is supposed to represent. The Secretary of State responded that the Government will support the OfS in refocusing on fewer key priorities, to do what is most important for students and universities, and to do it well. Dan Aldridge then highlighted the positive impact of the University Centre Weston in his constituency, and asked how the Labour Government will seek to strengthen the strategic objective of the OfS to widen participation in communities like his. The Secretary of State agreed on the importance of widening participation, and stated that the last Government had used the sector as a political football, talking down institutions and watching as the situation became more desperate. She said she has appointed the new interim chair to sharpen the focus of the OfS, focus more on the financial sustainability of the sector, and return universities to being the engines of growth and opportunity. Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire) (Con) then intervened, welcoming the Secretary of State's comments about universities being engines of growth and opportunity. He highlighted the work of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering in his county, which has been assisted by the OfS in gaining new degree-awarding powers. Norman asked if the Secretary of State would share his view that this is a deeply worthwhile enterprise that could be replicated around the country, and if she would visit the institute. The Secretary of State responded that she would be happy to meet with Norman to discuss the matter further. Finally, James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con) raised concerns about reports that the Peking University HSBC Business School in Oxford may be partly operating under Chinese Communist party rules, and asked if the Secretary of State expects the OfS to investigate this. The Secretary of State acknowledged the independence of the OfS, but stated that she will ensure it looks very carefully at the concerns raised and addresses them accordingly.