MPs request finance details for education

MPs have criticised the government for keeping colleges and universities in the dark over financial planning. Members of the Commons' education sub-committee said that the comprehensive spending review, which set the education budget for the three years up to 2002, had not shared all relevant information.

Committee witness Michael Bichard, permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Employment, said that institutions had been given third-year CSR figures in some areas, but the overall settlement would be announced later this year.