Higher education and research bill passed by the Commons

Amendments will now be made by the Lords.

MPs voted 279 to 214 in favour of the higher education and research bill during its third reading in the Commons on 21 November. It will now be passed to the Lords, where it will receive a full debate on 6 December.

The bill, which proposes to create an Office for Students that would have the power to determine whether or not an organisation is a university and UK Research and Innovation, which would replace the research councils, is expected to meet resistance in the Lords.