(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are the first commencement regulations made under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (“the Act”). They bring section 1 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Act into force on 1st January 2018. Section 1 provides for the establishment of the Office for Students (“OfS”). Schedule 1 makes further provision about the OfS, including its membership, staffing and procedure, its accounts, audit and reporting responsibilities and its supplementary powers. Schedule 1 also amends the Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51), the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13), the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24), the Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 25), the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36) and the Equality Act 2010 (c. 15). The amendments add the OfS to the list of bodies subject to provisions of those Acts.