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Peter Brown, secretary of the British Academy, writes that "all research funds are awarded in open competition" (Letters, THES , September 12).

If he checks the BA's regulations, he will see that research professorships, readerships and senior research fellowships are awarded only to people who have university posts.

If you are unemployed, you are eligible for a derisory amount for travel and secretarial expenses only, no matter how many refereed articles or books you have written. Evidently an applicant's institutional affiliation has priority over his/her research.

A. D. Harvey
London N16