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Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005

Type Act of the Scottish Parliament

Publication 2005-06-01

State In force

Jurisdiction Scotland

Department Statute Law Database

Source legislation.gov.uk

Reform history JSON API

Part 1 — Further and higher education etc.

Establishment of the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

1

(1) There is established a body to be known as the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council.

(2) Schedule 1 makes provision about the constitution of the Council and about certain administrative and other matters with respect to the Council.

Change of name by certain bodies

2

The following bodies are dissolved on such date as the Scottish Ministers may by order appoint—

(a) the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (established under section 7(1) of the 1992 Act); and

(b) the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (established by section 37(1) of that Act).

Provision of further and higher education etc.

Regional colleges: improvement of economic and social well-being

3

It is the duty of the Council to exercise its functions for the purposes of securing the—

(a) coherent provision by the post-16 education bodies (as a whole) of a high quality of fundable further education and fundable higher education; and

(b) undertaking of research among the post-16 education bodies.

The Scottish Ministers: general duty

4

(1) It is the duty of the Scottish Ministers to provide support for—

(a) the provision of fundable further education and fundable higher education by the post-16 education bodies; and

(b) the undertaking of research among the post-16 education bodies.

(2) The Scottish Ministers are to do so—

(a) by—

(i) making grants to the Council under section 9 or 10 (or both); and

(ii) such other means as they consider appropriate; and

(b) to such extent as they may determine.

Fundable further and higher education

5

(1) In this Act (subject to subsection (2)), “fundable further education” means any programme of learning (which is not school education within the meaning of the 1980 Act) which—

(a) prepares a person for a vocational qualification;

(b) prepares a person for—

(i) a qualification awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority; or

(ii) a General Certificate of Education qualification of England and Wales or Northern Ireland;

(d) is designed to assist persons whose first language is not English to achieve any level of competence in English language;

(e) provides instruction for persons who are participating in a programme of learning referred to in this subsection and who have support needs; or

(f) prepares a person for participation in any programme of learning referred to in this subsection.

(2) In this Act, “fundable further education” also includes education of a type described in subsection (5)(b)(ii) to (iv) of section 1 (duty of education authorities to secure provision of education) of the 1980 Act.

(3) In this Act, “fundable higher education” means any course of education which—

(a) is a course at a higher level in preparation for a higher diploma or certificate;

(b) is a first degree course;

(d) is a course of post-graduate studies (including a higher degree course);

(e) is a course at a higher level in preparation for a qualification from a professional body;

(f) is a course at a higher level not referred to in any of paragraphs (a) to (e);

(g) provides instruction for persons who are participating in a course of education referred to in this subsection and who have support needs; or

(h) is designed predominantly to prepare a person for participation in any course of education referred to in this subsection.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3)(a), (e) and (f), a course is to be regarded as providing education at a higher level if its standard is higher than the standard of courses in preparation for examinations for—

(a) the Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3;

(b) the Scottish Certificate of Education at Advanced Higher;

(d) the Scottish Qualifications Authority national certificate.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (3)(d), post-graduate studies includes a course following the award of a higher diploma or certificate.

(6) The Scottish Ministers may by order modify subsections (1) to (5).

(7) Before making an order under subsection (6), the Scottish Ministers must consult the Council.

Fundable bodies

6

(1) In this Act, “ fundable body ” means—

(a) any body specified in schedule 2; and

(b) any regional strategic body (see section 7B).

(2) In this Act, any reference to a fundable post-16 education body means a body specified in schedule 2.

Fundable bodies: further provision

7

(1) The Scottish Ministers may by order modify schedule 2 by—

(a) adding or removing any entry relating to a body; or

(b) varying any such entry,

but only if the Council has proposed, or has approved, the making of the modification.

(2) For the purposes of considering whether or not to propose or approve any modification under subsection (1), the Council must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that every entry in schedule 2 relates to a body for which there is, in the Council's opinion, suitable—

(a) provision in relation to the governance and management of the body;

(b) provision for the appointment of an officer who is responsible for—

(i) signing the accounts of the expenditure and receipts of the body;

(ii) ensuring the propriety and regularity of the finances of the body; and

(iii) ensuring that the resources of the body are used economically, efficiently and effectively;

(i) assessing; and

(ii) enhancing,

the quality of the activities funded by financial support given to the body by the Council;

(d) procedures for considering and resolving any grievances arising from the carrying on of the body's activities;

(e) provision for the purposes of—

(i) planning for the carrying on of the body's activities; and

(ii) development of the body's activities;

(f) arrangements for making use of any credit and qualification framework promoted by the Council under section 14;

(fa) arrangements for the purpose of seeking to ensure that the interests of the body's students are represented by a students' association;

(g) arrangements for taking into account the educational and related needs (including support needs) of persons who are, and the likely educational and related needs (including support needs) of persons who might wish to become, students of the body;

(h) arrangements for taking into account, when determining what programmes of learning and courses of education to provide, the range of fundable further education and fundable higher education provided at the other post-16 education bodies; ...

(ha) where the body is a regional strategic body, procedures and arrangements for the administration by the body of the funds mentioned in section 12A(2) and for the exercise of its other functions as a regional strategic body; and

(i) provision, procedures or arrangements of such other kind as the Scottish Ministers may by regulations specify.

(2A) Paragraph (ha) of subsection (2) applies only where the Council is considering whether to remove the entry relating to the body concerned from schedule 2.

(3) When proposing or approving a modification under subsection (1) which adds to schedule 2 an entry relating to a body, the Council may make a recommendation to the Scottish Ministers as regards the application to the body of paragraph 92(1) of schedule 2 to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 (asp 11).

(4) The Scottish Ministers may by order modify paragraphs (a) to (ha) of subsection (2).

(5) The Scottish Ministers may issue guidance in relation to any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (i) of subsection (2).

(6) Subsection (2) does not apply where the modification in question is required by reason only of a change of name of, or closure of, a body.

Support needs

8

(1) In this Act, a person has “support needs” if the person needs support for the purposes of overcoming a difficulty in learning, or a difficulty in participating in learning, which the person has.

(2) And—

(a) a person has a difficulty in learning if the person has significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of other persons within the same age group as the person; and

(b) a person has a difficulty in participating in learning if the person has greater difficulty in participating in learning than the majority of other persons within the same age group as the person.

(3) But a person is not be to be taken as having a difficulty in learning, or a difficulty in participating in learning, solely because the language (or form of the language) in which the person is, or will be, taught is different to a language (or form of a language) which has at any time been spoken in the person's home.

Funding of further and higher education etc.

Funding of the Council

9

(1) The Scottish Ministers may make grants to the Council.

(2) A grant made under subsection (1) is subject to such terms and conditions as the Scottish Ministers consider it appropriate to impose.

(3) Terms and conditions imposed under subsection (2) may, in particular—

(a) relate to—

(i) the repayment (in whole or in part) of a grant in such circumstances as they may specify;

(ii) the interest payable in respect of any period during which a sum due to the Scottish Ministers is outstanding;

(b) include any of the conditions referred to in subsections (4) to (5A).

(4) The condition is that, before the Council makes a payment to a fundable body under section 12(1) of such amount or description as the Scottish Ministers may in the condition specify, the fundable body —

(a) where it is a fundable post-16 education body, is to comply with any matters concerning fundable post-16 education bodies or any class of them as the Scottish Ministers may specify;

(b) where it is a regional strategic body, is—

(i) to comply with any matters concerning regional strategic bodies generally as the Scottish Ministers may specify; or

(ii) when making a payment to any of its colleges under section 12B(1), to impose on the college a requirement to comply with any matters concerning post-16 education bodies or any class of them as the Scottish Ministers may specify.

(5) The condition is that—

(a) when making a payment to a fundable post-16 education body under subsection (1) of section 12; and

(b) in such cases as the Scottish Ministers may in the condition specify,

the Council is (under subsection (2) of that section) to impose on the body a condition making the requirement referred to in subsection (6).

(5A) The condition is that—

(a) when making a payment to a regional strategic body under subsection (1) of section 12; and

(b) in such cases as the Scottish Ministers may in the condition specify,

the Council is (under subsection (2) of section 12) to impose on the regional strategic body a condition that it must, when making a payment to any of its colleges under section 12B(1), impose on the college a condition making the requirement referred to in subsection (6).

(6) The requirement is that the post-16 education body to whom the payment is being made is to secure that the fees paid to the post-16 education body—

(a) by such class of persons as the Scottish Ministers may by order specify; and

(b) in connection with their attending—

(i) such programmes of learning as the Scottish Ministers may by order specify; or

(ii) such courses of education as the Scottish Ministers may by order specify,

are equal to such fees as are, in relation to those persons attending those programmes and courses, payable under subsection (7).

(7) For the purposes of subsection (6), the Scottish Ministers may (in relation to those persons attending those programmes and courses) by order—

(a) specify, by reference to a particular academic year (“year A”), fees payable; and

(b) make provision authorising the Scottish Ministers to determine, in relation to subsequent academic years, fees payable that are—

(i) in each case, no higher than the fees specified by reference to year A; or

(ii) in any case, higher than the fees specified by reference to year A provided that any increase in fees is no greater than is required in order to maintain the value in real terms of the fees specified by reference to year A.

(8) A condition imposed on a fundable post-16 education body by virtue of subsection (5) is to make provision that is to apply if the fundable post-16 education body fails to comply with the requirement referred to in subsection (6).

(9) A condition imposed on a fundable post-16 education body by virtue of subsection (5) does not apply in relation to any fees which are payable, in accordance with regulations under section 1 (fees at universities and further education establishments) of the Education (Fees and Awards) Act 1983 (c. 40), by students other than those falling within any class of persons prescribed by such regulations for the purposes of subsection (1) or (2) of that section.

(10) The Scottish Ministers may not specify programmes or courses under subsection (6)(b) in such a way as to discriminate between different programmes or courses which are—

(a) for the training of persons preparing to be teachers; and

(b) open only to persons holding a degree,

on the basis of the subject in which such training is given.

(11) Terms and conditions imposed under subsection (2) may not, except where imposed in pursuance of subsection (4)(a) or (b)(ii) or section 9A or 9B, relate to the provision of financial support by the Council or a regional strategic body in respect of activities carried on by any particular ... body or bodies.

(12) Terms and conditions imposed under subsection (2) may not—

(a) except in so far as provided for in subsections (5) to (7) and in section 9D, be framed by reference to particular programmes of learning, courses of education or research (including the contents of such programmes or courses or the manner in which they are taught, supervised or assessed); ...

(b) be framed by reference to the criteria for—

(i) the selection or appointment of academic staff; or

(...) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) except where imposed in pursuance of section 9C, be framed by reference to the criteria for the admission of students.

(13) Before laying a draft of an order under subsection (6) or (7) before the Parliament in pursuance of section 34(4), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) lay before the Parliament—

(i) a copy of the proposed draft order; and

(ii) a statement of their reasons for proposing to make the order;

(b) publicise the proposed draft order in such manner as they consider appropriate;

(i) the Council;

(ii) at least one body of persons which appears to them to be representative of students of the post-16 education bodies; and

(iii) such governing bodies of post-16 education bodies, and such regional strategic bodies, as they consider appropriate; and

(d) have regard to any written representations about the proposed draft order that are made to them within 60 days of the date on which the invitation under paragraph (c) was issued.

(14) When laying a draft of an order under subsection (6) or (7) before the Parliament in pursuance of section 34(4), the Scottish Ministers must also lay a statement summarising—

(a) all representations about the proposed draft order to which they have had regard under subsection (13)(d);

(b) the changes (if any) made to the proposed draft order in light of the representations; and

(15) The body known as the National Union of Students Scotland is to be invited under subsection (13)(c)(ii) to make representations.

(16) The Scottish Ministers may by order modify subsection (15).

(17) For the purposes of subsection (7)(b)(ii), the Scottish Ministers may have regard to any retail price index.

Additional grants

10

(1) In addition to any grants made under section 9, the Scottish Ministers may make further grants to the Council.

(2) In particular, a grant under subsection (1) may be made for the purposes of supporting—

(a) restructuring among post-16 education bodies (including the merger or demerger of such bodies and restructuring involving regional strategic bodies);

(b) innovation in the provision of fundable further education and fundable higher education; or

(c) collaboration between post-16 education bodies and, where appropriate, between those bodies and regional strategic bodies.

(3) In making a grant under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers must specify the purposes for which the grant is made.

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