Tuition Fees Equality Impact Assessment.

Dear Department for Business, Innovation and Skills,

In light of the government announcement to allow higher education institutions to charge up to £9,000 a year in tuition fees could you provide me with a copy of the Equality Impact Assessment. The EqIA process is a legal requirement, under a number of acts including the Race Relations [Amendment] Act 2000.

Also I would like copies of any emails, reports or briefing papers that relate to this policy decision.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically. If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If you need any clarification then please contact me via email. Under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance I would expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

Ben Whitehouse

FOI Requests, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

BIS ref: 10/2329

Dear Mr Whitehouse,

Thank you for your request for information which was received on 3
November. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official at
the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to deal with.

Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and will be responded at the latest by 1 December.

If you have any queries about this email, please contact the information
rights unit at BIS. Please remember to quote the reference number above in
any future communications.

Best wishes,
Information Rights Unit

Information Rights Unit | Department for Business, Innovation & Skills |
Orchard 3, 1st Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET|
[1]www.bis.gov.uk

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a
dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the conditions for business
success; promoting innovation, enterprise and science; and giving everyone
the skills and opportunities to succeed. To achieve this we will foster
world-class universities and promote an open global economy. BIS -
Investing in our future

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FOI Requests, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Ref: BIS FOI 10/2329

Dear Mr Whitehouse

Thank you for your email of 3 November where you requested:

In light of the government announcement to allow higher education
institutions to charge up to £9,000 a year in tuition fees could you
provide me with a copy of the Equality Impact Assessment. The EqIA process
is a legal requirement, under a number of acts including the Race
Relations [Amendment] Act 2000.

Also I would like copies of any emails, reports or briefing papers that
relate to this policy decision.

On your first point I can confirm that the Department holds the
information you are seeking. However, Section 22 of the Freedom of
Information Act exempts this information from release; this is because the
information is intended for publication at a future date. The Department
will publish its Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) alongside a higher
education white paper this winter. It would not be appropriate nor in the
public interest for us to release this information at this point as it is
still subject to clearance within the Department. However, this
information will be freely available on the BIS website in due course
following the publication of a full EqIA on this policy. Until the EqIA is
published you may be interested in this press release by the Institute for
Fiscal Studies: [1]http://www.ifs.org.uk/pr/browne_review.pdf

On your second point I'm afraid that, whilst the Department holds this
information, it is exempt under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information
Act on the grounds that the cost to the Department of locating and
providing all emails and briefing on the decision to increase the level of
graduate contribution would exceed the appropriate limit (3.5 working
days). You are welcome to re-submit more specific requests for
information. Ministers have made a number of public statements outlining
their proposals and explaining the rationale behind them which can be
found here: [2]http://www.bis.gov.uk/studentfinance. However, you must
bear in mind that much of the information may be exempt under Section 35
of the Freedom of Information Act on the grounds that it relates to policy
formulation.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original email and should be addressed to the Department.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF

Yours sincerely,

Alex Morris

Higher Education Directorate | Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills |
* 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET | 8 [email address]

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a
dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the conditions for business
success; promoting innovation, enterprise and science; and giving everyone
the skills and opportunities to succeed. To achieve this we will foster
world-class universities and promote an open global economy. BIS -
Investing in our future

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Dear FOI Requests,

Is it possible to get a date of publication for the Higher Education White Paper?

Yours sincerely,

Ben Whitehouse

FOI Requests, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

BIS Ref: 10/2329

Dear Mr Whitehouse,

Thank you for you email. I have consulted with policy officials who have
instructed the Higher Education White Paper will be published early 2011.

Kind regards,
H Hodgson

H Hodgson | Freedom of Information Adviser | Information Rights Unit |
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills | Orchard 3, 1st Floor, 1
Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET | [1]www.bis.gov.uk

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a
dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the conditions for business
success; promoting innovation, enterprise and science; and giving everyone
the skills and opportunities to succeed. To achieve this we will foster
world-class universities and promote an open global economy. BIS -
Investing in our future

show quoted sections