Polytechnics Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to improve the quality of provision of education in the former polytechnics. Bill Rammell Higher Education Institutions, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for the standards of their own qualifications and the quality of teaching. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education conducts regular audits of the management of quality in each institution. Since 1997, QAA audit reports have shown consistently high ratings on quality and standards across all Higher Education Institutions (including ‘post 92’ institutions).