The Privy Council: history, functions and membership
A briefing paper on the history, functions and membership of the Privy Council

This House of Commons briefing paper gives an update on vice-chancellors pay in higher education in England since the introduction of the Committee of University Chairs Senior Staff Remuneration Code in 2018 and the publication of the Office for Students first annual report on senior staff remuneration in February 2019.
Update on vice-chancellors pay in higher education institutions in England (314 KB , PDF)
The pay of senior staff in higher education instituions (HEIs) in England has been under close scrutiny since 2017 when it was disclosed that the vice-chancellor of the Univeresity of Bath was paid a salary of £451,000 in 2016/17. It was suggested at the time that increases in pay could be linked to the increase in tuition fees in 2012 but this was not proven.
In 2017-18 the average basic salary for ‘heads of providers’ (vice-chancellors) in England was £253,000. The average total remuneration package (including bonuses, one off payments and pensions) was £299,000
Six universities in England paid their vice-chancellors £500,000 or more in salary, bonuses and benefits in 2017‑18.
In June 2018 the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) published the Higher Education Senior Staff Remuneration Code. This code aimed to help HEIs make senior staff pay fairer and more appropriate, but the code was criticised by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) for being voluntary and inadequate.
Library briefing paper, Vice-chancellors’ pay in higher education institutions in England, 20 June 2018 outlined the policy issues and debate.
The Office for Students (OfS) has a role in senior staff pay as part of its remit to ensure value for money for the taxpayer. In February 2019 the OfS published its first annual report on senior staff renumeration, Senior staff remuneration Analysis of the 2017-18 disclosures.The report showed that the majority of vice-chancellors received an increase in basic salary or total remuneration between 2016-17 abd 2017-18.
This briefing provides an update on senior pay since the introduction of the CUC code and the publication of the OfS report.
Update on vice-chancellors pay in higher education institutions in England (314 KB , PDF)
A briefing paper on the history, functions and membership of the Privy Council
This briefing analyses the progress of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill. The Bill has passed the House of Commons and its second reading in the House of Lords.
Average loan debt and the overall scale of loans have increased over time as the Government has shifted funding for maintenance and teaching to loans. This has led to concerns about the burden of debt, high interest rates and the cost of loans to the taxpayer.