Always on the menu

In "Sector: too many cooks will spoil regulatory broth" ( October), Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, says that proposals to give the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Quality Assurance Agency and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator roles in resolving student complaints are a "recipe for confusion".

In fact, the QAA has always played a key role in investigating concerns about institutional management of quality and standards. Our "Concerns about standards and quality in higher education" scheme complements the OIA's adjudication on disputes between students and institutions.

We investigate evidence of ongoing and systemic risks to quality and standards at universities and other higher education providers. Further, we believe our Concerns scheme will have a significant role to play in investigating student and public concerns within a risk-based system.

Jean Lawton, Director of public engagement, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education