Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to prevent (a) secondary and (b) university students from using essay-writing and other cheat services.

The use of companies that sell bespoke essays to students who pass the work off as their own undermines the reputation of the education system in this country, and devalues the hard work of those succeeding on their own merit.

The government has a clear expectation that educational institutions do everything in their power to prevent students being tempted by these companies. In a university context that may be through introducing initiatives such as honour codes, and making sure their students are aware of the severe consequences they face if they are caught cheating.

In addition, the department will be publishing an Education Technology strategy in the spring which will include encouraging technology companies to identify how anti-cheating software can tackle the growth of essay mills and stay one step ahead of the cheats.

The government is supporting the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to put pressure on technology companies who readily facilitate the use of essay mills. This supports and furthers the 2017 efforts of the QAA and National Union of Students and Universities UK who responded to the government’s request to develop guidance for higher education providers on how to combat the threat of “contract cheating”.

The Office for Students is the independent regulator of higher education in England. Through the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, the government has given the Office for Students the power to take action if higher education providers are found to be, in any way, complicit in cheating. This includes imposing fines or ultimately de-registration, the highest possible punishment. The government remains open to the future need for additional legislation, and will continue to investigate all options available.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is the independent regulator of qualifications in England for secondary school pupils. In reformed GCSEs, AS and A levels Ofqual have significantly reduced the use of non-exam assessment - primarily permitting it only where the prescribed subject content cannot be assessed within an examination. This means that - in most subjects - a pupil could not use an essay writing service to gain an unfair advantage in an assessment.

In all GCSEs, AS and A levels, Ofqual rules require exam boards to do all they can to prevent malpractice and maladministration when developing, delivering and awarding regulated qualifications, to investigate allegations and suspicions of malpractice when they arise and to impose appropriate sanctions when malpractice is confirmed.