§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the funding of grades below 5* in medical education. [61438]
§ Margaret HodgeThe 2001 Research Assessment Exercise showed a strong increase in top quality research, with more 5* departments than ever before. The Higher Education Funding Council for England decided to protect funding levels for top rated departments, and my Department added £30 million to HEFCE funding for next year. The RAE is designed to determine relative quality. It is not designed to determine the quantum of money spent on research. That is a matter for the Spending Reviews.