Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report entitled Investigation into student finance for study at franchised higher education providers, published by the National Audit Office on 18 January 2024, what discussions she has had with the Office for Students on the potential merits of requiring franchised providers to register with the Office for Students.

As set out in the government’s response to the Public Accounts Committee, the government is shortly due to publish a consultation on proposals to strengthen oversight of partnership delivery in higher education, having worked closely with the Office for Students on this.