§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had in support of the recommendation from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils to differentiate between three levels of higher education institutions in the level and scope of their research activity; and what reply he has given to the board.
Mr. JacksonA substantial majority of the 250 submissions which my right hon. Friend has received about the ABRC's discussion document "A Strategy for the Science Base", accept the need for greater differentiation of research roles in higher education; but most do not support the board's recommendation that this should be at the institutional level. My right hon. Friend will be making a statement on policy for the science base later this year.