Part 4– Student Support
18.Transferring functions to the National Assembly for Wales – Most of the Secretary of State’s functions in relation to education were already transferred prior to this Act, as respects Wales, to the National Assembly. The Act makes provision for the majority of functions related to student support which were previously not transferred, as well as responsibility for policy on tuition fees, to be transferred from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to the National Assembly for Wales.
19.Preventing student loan debt forming part of a bankrupt’s estate - The Act makes it possible to prevent student loan debt being written off on discharge from bankruptcy.
20.Facilitating the deferral of payment of tuition fees – The Act contains a measure to support the deferral of the payment of tuition fees, by allowing loan payments to be made directly to institutions, so that they can receive fee payments up front and students can repay later.
21.Supply of information – This provision gives the Secretary of State powers to make regulations empowering specified supply of data to higher education institutions or other bodies exercising functions of a public nature.