Commons inquiries home in on big issues

THE PARLIAMENTARY education and employment committee will carry out an inquiry into issues arising from the Dearing review of higher education, including tuition fees, in the autumn. It is due to hear evidence from education secretary David Blunkett on September 24. The deadline for written evidence is September 12.

An education subcommittee will carry out an inquiry into further education in the autumn. It will examine the colleges' funding as well as look at funding convergence, franchising, governance and quality control. Margaret Hodge MP chairs the sub-committee which will take evidence in October.

The potential problems caused by computer systems and their lack of compliance with the year 2000 will be examined by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. The committee, chaired by Tory MP Michael Clark and including several former university scientists, will also conduct an inquiry into the implications for university research of the Dearing report.