§ Alan HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is in respect of the latest research assessment exercise. [33699]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Department's policy is to strengthen research excellence and support world-class research. The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is a mechanism devised by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the other UK funding bodies to establish the relative quality of research in higher education institutions and to provide a mechanism to allocate the funding available. The RAE does not of itself lead to an increase in resources. Nevertheless, in the light of the significant increase in the quality of research in the 2001 RAE, my Department has made available an extra £30 million in 2002–03 to allow the Higher Education Funding Council for England better to support high quality research in higher education.