§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the contractual connection between the Department of Education and Science and ECCTIS 2000 Ltd;
(2) if he will make a statement on the practice of his Department to refer inquiries about university courses to the firm ECCTIS 2000 Ltd.
Mr. JacksonThe education counselling and credit transfer information service (ECCTIS) is a database of courses in further and higher education which has been developed by the Department to provide a comprehensive source of computerised information for students and others inquiring about the availability of courses in particular subjects. Following a limited tender exercise, ECCTIS has been managed and operated since 1 January 1990 on behalf of the Department by ECCTIS 2000 Ltd., under a contract which runs until 31 December 1994.
The Department does not itself hold details of all courses available and it is its practice to refer inquirers to ECCTIS where the circumstances of the inquiry suggest that this would be appropriate.