§ Mr. KynochTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in applying the next steps management approach to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Secretary of State has now agreed a management statement with the council. This is an important part of the application of the next steps approach to executive non-departmental public bodies. The management statement describes the council's aims and objectives and their relationship with the Secretary of State and provides the broad policy and managerial framework within which the council will operate. A copy of the management statement has been placed in the Library.