§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what options he has examined for assessing(a) the standard of university applicants and (b) their suitability for different types of university courses; [137676]
(2) if he will make a statement on the use of psychometric testing in the university admissions procedure. [137677]
§ Alan JohnsonAdmissions are a matter for universities. Professor Steven Schwartz, Vice Chancellor of Brunel University is currently leading an independent review of the options which English institutions should consider in assessing the merits of applicants for their courses. His review will help universities to draw on best practice and the latest research. We expect that the review will provide a statement of high level principles that we hope all universities will adopt.