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What absence of joined-up thinking there is at the heart of government. The DTI is investing more money to encourage young people into science and engineering by enhancing pay, research council budgets and so on. Meanwhile, the DFES pursues a market-driven policy in which unprofitable courses will go to the wall. With the full cost of courses becoming increasingly transparent, it is no surprise that universities are withdrawing from the costly science and engineering market. How is Lord Sainsbury's vision to be realised if science departments no longer exist? Do he and Margaret Hodge ever communicate?

Richard Tuckett
School of Chemical Sciences
University of Birmingham