Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 19 November 2018, TEF reviewer appointment, HCWS 1089, whether the independent review of the TEF and its reviewer will be able to have access to the deliberations of Philip Aurgar's Review of Post-18 Education and Funding relating to matters pertaining to the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Secretary of State) has appointed Dame Shirley Pearce to report of the operation of the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF). The scope of her report is set out in section 26(5) of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. As required by section 26 of the Act, Dame Shirley is required to report to the Secretary of State, and he must lay that report before Parliament.

The Post 18 Review is due to conclude in early 2019, which will allow the TEF Independent Reviewer to consider the panel’s recommendations.

As the Independent Reviewer of the TEF, it is for Dame Shirley to decide how her review should operate. She intends to establish a small group of people to advise her. How the group works is entirely for her. Furthermore, Dame Shirley is at liberty to approach whomever she believes can inform her review.