Legislation aimed at paving the way for the Westminster government to deliver its planned lifelong loan entitlement from 2025 has been introduced to Parliament – but more controversial plans to restrict student enrolment are conspicuously absent.
The Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill, which had its first reading on 1 February, seeks to tweak the student finance system to ensure those taking individual modules at higher education providers are charged proportionately to those taking a full degree course.
It was previously thought that such a bill could also include a minimum entry requirement (MER) for individuals to be eligible for student loans, as well as student number controls (SNCs); two policies that the government has committed to in the past.
But sector sources told Times Higher Education last month that ministers were instead seeking “uncontroversial” legislation, which has proven to be the case. THE has asked the Department for Education whether MER and SNCs are still part of the government’s long-term plans.
