Select committee MPs nominated
Eleven MPs have been put forward as members of the new education and skills select committee. Nominees are: David Chaytor (Lab, Bury North); Valerie Davey (Lab, Bristol West); Jeff Ennis (Lab, Barnsley East and Mexborough); Paul Holmes (Lib Dems, Chesterfield); Meg Munn (Lab/Co-op, Sheffield Heeley); Kerry Pollard (Lab, St Albans); Laurence Robertson (Cons, Tewkesbury); Jonathan Shaw (Lab/Co-op, Chatham and Aylesford); Barry Sheerman (Lab/Co-op, Huddersfield); Robert Spink (Cons, Castle Point); and Andrew Turner (Cons, Isle of Wight). Members will be approved by the House of Commons on Monday. Former Conservative minister Douglas Hogg has table an amendment calling for the removal of Mr Sheerman, former chairman of the education sub-committee, from the list and inserting Richard Shepherd (Cons, Aldridge-Brownhills). The chairman of the committee is due to be selected by new members on Wednesday.
Lecturer shortlisted for poetry prize
Glamorgan University lecturer Matthew Francis is in the running for the UK’s most valuable annual poetry accolade, the Forward Poetry Prize, which awards a total of £16,000. Mr Francis, who teaches creative writing, is shortlisted in the best collection category for his work Dragons .
Duke opens aircraft simulator
A new aircraft evacuation simulator, which will help airlines prepare for emergencies on future wide-bodied planes, was officially opened at Cranfield University today by the Duke of Kent. The simulator will be fitted with video cameras to gather data on how those taking part in exercises behave in an emergency.
Bowel disease targets left-handers
Left-handed people are twice as likely to suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases as right-handers, according to research published today. A major study by researchers from University College Hospital, published in the medical journal Gut, has found a link with inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.