UA chief executive Maddalaine Ansell spoke to Research Fortnight HE about the progress of the Higher Education and Research Bill for their article which highlighted sector concerns that recent political events mean it will not receive proper scrutiny in Parliament.
She said that she thought the risks were overstated. MPs and Lords would “seriously and properly do their best to scrutinise the bill”, regardless of other engagements in EU negotiations, she said. “I don’t see why committees shouldn’t work as they should.”
The Fixed-term Parliament Act requires a two-thirds majority to secure a general election, making it unlikely that a new Conservative leader could call a snap general election and recall parliament before the bill had passed into law. “Even if it did happen, it’s entirely possible the new government would reintroduce the bill,” Ansell said.
