Higher Education and Research Act 2017

79 Power to require application-to-acceptance information

(1) The Secretary of State may, by notice, require a body within subsection (2) to provide such application-to-acceptance information as may be described in the notice for use for qualifying research.

(2) A body is within this subsection if it provides services to one or more English higher education providers relating to applications for admission on to higher education courses provided by them.

(3) “Application-to-acceptance information” means information relating to—

(a) applying for admission on to higher education courses provided by English higher education providers (including predicted grades),

(b) offers and rejections regarding which individuals are admitted on to those courses, or

(c) the acceptance of such offers.

(4) “Qualifying research” means—

(a) research into the choices available to individuals who are—

(i) applying for admission on to higher education courses provided by English higher education providers, or

(ii) considering whether to accept an offer for admission on such a course from such a provider;

(b) research into equality of opportunity;

(c) research into any other topic approved by the Secretary of State.

(5) The notice under subsection (1) may require the information to be provided—

(a) by a time specified in the notice, and

(b) in a form and manner specified in the notice.

(6) If a body fails to comply with a notice under subsection (1) and does not satisfy the Secretary of State that it is unable to provide the information, the Secretary of State may enforce the duty to comply with the notice in civil proceedings for an injunction or (in Scotland) an interdict.

(7) In this section, “equality of opportunity” means equality of opportunity in connection with access to and participation in higher education provided by English higher education providers.

(8) See section 80 regarding the use of information obtained under this section.