Financial support for students at alternative higher education providers: follow-up

The Committee held an inquiry into financial support for students at alternative higher education providers in December 2014, at which the Chair told the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that the National Audit Office report on this matter was "one of the most shocking Reports that I have come across, … Show more

The Committee held an inquiry into financial support for students at alternative higher education providers in December 2014, at which the Chair told the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that the National Audit Office report on this matter was "one of the most shocking Reports that I have come across, and we will come back to it before the general election." In the Committee’s report on the inquiry, the Committee raised concerns regarding the rapid expansion of support for students attending private Higher Education providers and the Department’s inability to quantify how much money has been lost funding ineligible students and students who failed to attend or complete courses. The Committee recommended the Department systematically assess and control the specific risks identified by the National Audit Office and at its evidence session, and provide the Committee with a clear explanation of how it will manage these risks in future, and report back to the Committee urgently with an assessment of how much public money is at risk of being wasted. Further information PAC report: Financial support for students at alternative higher education providers, February 2015 PAC inquiry page: Control over funding for alternative higher education bodies Chair's statement on Disabled Students' Allowance National Audit Office report: Investigation into potential conflicts of interest in the award of Disabled Students' Allowance Show less