§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
What will be the membership of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education and its terms of reference.
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Lord Henley)The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education faces an important and challenging task. Higher education has a vital role to play in raising the levels of the nation's skills and competitiveness and thus enhancing our capacity to generate wealth and to improve our quality of life. The National Committee of Inquiry will make recommendations on how the purposes, shape, structure, size and funding of higher education should develop to meet the needs of the UK over the next 20 years. It will have a significant influence on future generations of students, on the development of universities and colleges, and on the wider economy, society and culture of this country.
33WAMy right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Employment, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are therefore grateful to all those who responded to our consultations on the Committee's composition and draft terms of reference. In the light of those responses, they are pleased to appoint the following members:
Name Position Sir Ron Dearing (Chairman) Professor John Arbuthnott Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde (formerly Brenda Dean) Ms Judith Evans Director of Corporate Personnel, Sainsbury's Sir Ron Garrick Managing Director and Chief Executive of Weir Group Sir Geoffrey Holland Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter Professor Diana Laurillard Pro Vice-Chancellor (Technology Development) of the Open University Mrs. P. A. Morris Headteacher, The Blue School, Wells Sir Ronald Oxburgh Rector of Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Dr. David Potter Chairman of Psion Plc Sir George Quigley Chairman of Ulster Bank Sir William Stubbs Chief Executive of the Further Education Funding Council and Rector Designate of the London Institute Sir Richard Sykes Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of Glaxo-Wellcome Plc Professor David Watson Director of the University of Brighton Professor Sir David Weatherall Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford Professor Adrian Webb Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan Mr. Simon Wright Education and Welfare Officer, Students' Union, the University of Wales College of Cardiff We are grateful to these members for agreeing to serve on this important inquiry.
A copy of the list of members and the full terms of reference has been placed in the Library.
§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the context of the forthcoming review of higher education, they have any plans to address the provision (in print or electronic form) of books and learning materials to students directly and through libraries.
34WA
§ Lord HenleyAs I announced earlier today, copies of the final terms of reference for the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education have been placed in the Library. The terms of reference are wide-ranging, and it will be for the committee itself to decide on which specific issues to focus within those terms.