Overview

This bill makes it a crime in England and Wales to provide or advertise services that help students cheat on their higher education assessments. This includes completing assignments or exams on a student's behalf or arranging for someone else to do so.

Description

The Higher Education Cheating Services Prohibition Bill criminalizes the provision and advertisement of services designed to assist students in cheating on higher education assessments in England and Wales. Specifically, it's illegal to:

• Provide a service (for payment or other reward) that completes all or part of an assignment, exam, or other coursework for a student without authorization, rendering the work not reasonably attributable to the student.
• Arrange for another person to complete all or part of a student's work without authorization, resulting in work not reasonably attributable to the student.
• Advertise such services.
• Publish an advertisement for such services without reasonable excuse.

There is a defense if the provider can demonstrate that they did not know, and could not reasonably have known, that the service would be used for unauthorized cheating on a higher education course. Corporations can be prosecuted, as can their directors or managers if the offense is committed with their consent, connivance, or due to their neglect. Penalties include fines, depending on whether the case is heard summarily or on indictment.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The cost of enforcement (investigations and prosecutions) will likely increase, but no figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

This bill will affect several groups:

• Students: The bill aims to protect academic integrity. Students who use these services risk being caught and penalized by their universities.
• Businesses providing cheating services: These businesses will face criminal prosecution and potential fines if found guilty.
• Law enforcement agencies: These agencies will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenses under the bill, increasing their workload.
• Universities: Universities will likely continue to have to enforce their own rules on academic misconduct but might see a decrease in instances of contract cheating.

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