Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the report of the Open university visiting committee in the context of(a) the development of new courses, (b) current course maintenance and updating and (c) research, as referred to in his answer of 23 May 1988, Official Report, column 11.
Mr. JacksonThe Open university visiting committee reports to my right hon. Friend annually in the autumn. Following its report last year, the Government agreed to provide £12.9 million in additional grant to the university over the three financial years 1989–90 to 1991–92. As a result, the university has been able to avoid making many of the cutbacks in provision which it had earlier feared it would have to make. The visiting committee's report for this year is now being finalised and my right hon. Friend expects to receive it shortly.