Section 60 establishes retrospective power for the charging of fees for services related to the comparability, recognition and assessment of qualifications obtained outside and within the United Kingdom. It has been determined that these fees in whole or part require, or may require, a statutory basis. This statutory basis has not been in place for a part or the whole of the period of their being charged by several government departments, currently the Home Office and the Department for Education.
	Establishing retrospective power for these fees to be charged removes the possibility of customers requesting refunds for fees paid for services, the benefits of which they have fairly received.
	This section establishes that fees meeting the conditions in subsections (2)-(4) are taken to have been lawfully charged. Under subsection (6) the fees may have been charged by the Secretary of State or persons acting through arrangements with the Secretary of State, for example an external supplier under a contract.
Part 4: Miscellaneous and General Miscellaneous Section 60: Validation of fees charged in relation to qualifications