Education Reform Act 1988

141 Replacement and variation of further and higher education funding schemes

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a scheme may be replaced or varied by a subsequent scheme made under section 139 of this Act by the local education authority concerned.

(2) Section 139 shall apply for the purposes of a scheme replacing or varying a previous scheme with the omission of subsection (1); and subsection (1) of section 140 of this Act shall not apply in relation to such a scheme.

(3) A scheme prepared by a local education authority under section 139 which—

(a) replaces a previous scheme; or

(b) makes any significant variation of a previous scheme;

shall be submitted to the Secretary of State for his approval.

(4) A scheme under section 139 varying a previous scheme which is not required by subsection (3)(b) above to be submitted to the Secretary of State for his approval is referred to below in this section as a “minor variation scheme”.

(5) Subsections (4) and (5) of section 140 shall not apply in relation to a minor variation scheme.

(6) The Secretary of State may by order specify what descriptions of variation are to be regarded as significant for the purposes of subsection (3)(b) above.

(7) Where a local education authority propose to make a scheme under section 139 which in their opinion is a minor variation scheme, the authority shall notify the Secretary of State in writing of their proposal, giving brief particulars of the nature of the variations proposed to be made by the scheme.

(8) In any such case the authority shall, if so required by the Secretary of State before the end of the period of two months beginning with the date on which he receives notification under subsection (7) above of the authority’s proposal, send to him a copy of their proposed scheme; and it shall be for the Secretary of State to determine whether or not any variation proposed to be made by the scheme falls within any description of variation specified in an order under subsection (6) above.

(9) A scheme made under section 139 may also be varied by a direction given by the Secretary of State, as from such date as may be specified in the direction.

(10) Before giving such a direction the Secretary of State shall consult the local education authority concerned and such other persons as he thinks fit.