The Prime Minister, David Cameron has shelved the Higher Education (HE) Bill that was due this spring.

Reports say that the Bill, which would have introduced regulatory reform making it easier for private providers to enter the market, is now unlikely be published before 2015, the Times Higher Education (THE) reports.

“The Liberal Democrats were increasingly opposed to further reforms to universities after the recent decision to increase fees. David Cameron was also unimpressed by the recommendations so the whole thing is now off the table,” a Whitehall Spokesperson stated.

The change is said to have occurred because the Government do not wish to pass further controversial reforms after the increase in tuition fees decision made last year.

“Plans to allow private companies greater access to taxpayers’ money would have seen them getting rich at the expense of the UK taxpayer,” said Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) which has led much of the opposition to the reforms. In the US for profit universities and colleges have been investigated for the misspelling of qualifications to vulnerable students and their families. That is the last thing we needed here as students struggle to adapt to the new fees regime. The Government should be applauded to appearing to listen to the experts in the case. We will continue to expose the dangers of allowing those whose first priority is to their shareholders a greater hold on our Higher Education system.”

The National Union of Students (NUS) have long opposed the Higher Education Bill. Liam Burns, President of the NUS, said a long delay in the Bill would merely allow the Government to avoid parliamentary scrutiny. He commented: “By hiking tuition fees and then failing to adequately provide protection ministers have made students the victims of a legislative hit and run. The Government must come clean now on what changes they have planned for higher education and not leave it until after the next election to clean up the mess their car crash policy making has made.”

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