Background
3.This Act is intended to assist in the implementation of a number of policies set out in the White Paper The future of higher education (Cm 5735), published on 22 January 2003 and available on the website www.dfes.gov.uk/highereducation, which set out the Government’s position on higher education as a whole. Further detail on proposals to create an Office for Fair Access was contained in Widening participation in higher education, published on 8 April 2003, and available on the same website. The Act also contains provisions relating to three matters not covered by the White Paper: the provision of new powers to share information relating to student support, the exclusion of the jurisdiction of the Visitor over staff disputes, and the devolution of the tuition fee regime and student support in relation to Wales to the National Assembly for Wales.