Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of increases in Vice-Chancellors’ salaries since the announcement by the Minister of State for Universities and Science on 7 September that they would “unveil a series of new measures designed to curb spiralling vice-chancellors’ pay”.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation has been clear that he wants to see an end to the upwards trend in senior staff pay. Since his announcement on 7 September, the government has published details of its proposed measures.

We are currently consulting on behalf of the new regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), on its new Regulatory Framework, due to come into force for the academic year 2019/20. Under those proposals, the OfS will be responsible for ensuring providers’ governing arrangements are appropriate, which includes requirements for providers to publish the number of staff paid more than £100,000 per annum, which for staff paid more than £150,000, should include a justification for these salaries.

We also called on the sector to work through the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) to develop and introduce its own fair remuneration code, and are pleased that the CUC is taking forward the development of this code.

These measures, once implemented, will deliver greater transparency and accountability, as well as improved value for money for taxpayers and for students.