Urgent question on the Director of the Office for Fair Access
21 February 2012 (updated on 21 February 2012)
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, responded to an urgent question asked by James Clappison, Conservative MP for Hertsmere, in the House of Commons on Monday 20 February on the appointment of the Director of the Office for Fair Access
Office for Fair Access
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent, non departmental public body. Our role is to promote and safeguard fair access to higher education for lower income and other under-represented groups following the introduction of higher tuition fees in 2006-07.
The main role of the OFFA is to help safeguard fair access by approving and monitoring access agreements, agreements in which universities and colleges set out their tuition fee limit and the access measures they intend to put in place e.g. outreach work and financial support.
OFFA is led by the Director of Fair Access who reports to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Minister of State for Universities and Science.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has appointed Professor Les Ebdon to be the new Director of the Office for Fair Access.
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Chuka Umunna, responded to the Urgent question on behalf of the Opposition.
Watch and read the urgent question and the views expressed by MPs on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard. Also find current parliamentary material on Higher education in the Topics and News sections.
- Parliament TV: Urgent question on Director of the Office for Fair Access
- Commons Hansard: Urgent question on Director of the Office for Fair Access
- Topics: Higher education
- Parliamentary news: Higher education
Pre-appointment hearing
The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee held a pre-appointment hearing with Professor Les Ebdon on Thursday 2 February 2012. Watch the hearing and read the Committee report.
Urgent questions
Urgent questions are asked at the end of Question Time. If something has happened, normally a matter of public importance, which an MP believes requires an immediate answer from a government minister, they may apply to the Speaker to ask an urgent question.
If the Speaker agrees, the question will be asked at the end of Question Time.