§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to alter the criteria used in the universities research assessment exercise to ensure that those universities whose work is geared towards the needs of the industry and the economy are favoured; and if he will take steps to alter the membership of assessment panels to increase representation from industry.
§ Mr. BoswellArrangements for research assessment are a matter for the higher education funding councils. They will be consulting institutions and others on arrangements for future assessment exercises. Universities and colleges were free to submit evidence of the full range of their research in the research assessment exercise undertaken last year by the Universities Funding Council, including that related to the needs of industry.