In the biggest shake-up in Higher Education in England for years, the government is set to reveal plans to give consumer power to students and improve their rights to demand better quality information about their choice of courses and future job prospects.

David Willetts, Universities Minister, will present the long awaited Higher Education White Paper to the House of Commons later today. Ahead of the statement to the House, Mr Willetts spoke to the BBC Today Programme this morning and outlined how “money will follow the students”. Alongside the funding reforms, which have seen some course fees rocket to £9,000 per year, Universities will be required to compete for students and those attracting the most able students and offering “a good quality student experience will be able to expand.” He wants to put “students in the driving seat”.

Mr Willetts told the BBC that "This will give a real incentive for universities to focus on the quality of the teaching experience for students."  He wants to see more detailed information about courses and what students will be getting for their course fees. He said, “the level of information has not been good, from contact hours with academics at university through to prospects of getting a job afterwards.”

Although there will still be a cap on the total number of students attending English Universities, Mr Willetts hoped to see “flexibility” between each individual institution, encouraging competition by offering these “incentives to focus on the quality of teaching for students”.  Alongside these proposals, students will also be given the power to trigger official inspections by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) if there are concerns about the quality of teaching on offer.

Mr Willetts also believes that universities are “over-regulated” and would like to “cut back the burden of regulation” for higher education institutions including removing restrictions for private universities. Private Universities will also be allowed to compete for students under the new system by allowing students to take out publicly funded loans for course fees.

National Union of Students President, Aaron Porter has responded, “To use proposals for more information as a justification for lifting the cap on fees to £9,000 is outrageous and will not fool students and their families. It's the price rather than educational standards, that will have tripled.

“Ministers are at risk of creating stability for the perceived best but complete chaos for the rest. The vast majority of university entrants, who don't get the very best grades, will be treated to complete market chaos and real uncertainty about their universities and courses.”

Mr Willetts concluded on the BBC this morning that this was “the fair way forward.”

A statement and questions are expected in the House of Commons this afternoon and the full document is expected to be available shortly afterwards.