That this House notes that Dr Peter Knight, the Director of Birmingham Polytechnic, chaired the employers' side in the recent negotiations with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education resulting in an agreed contract for academic staff at polytechnics and other institutions; also notes that Dr Knight failed to recommend this agreement to the Board of governors of Birmingham Polytechnic and produced his own version of a contract for academic staff at this polytechnic; is not surprised that the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education has called for a national boycott of Birmingham Polytechnic in these circumstances; and urges the Board of Governors to arrange for urgent discussions with the trade union representatives of academic staff at Birmingham Polytechnic in an attempt to resolve this dispute in the interests of staff and students.

That this House notes that Dr Peter Knight, the Director of Birmingham Polytechnic, chaired the employers' side in the recent negotiations with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education resulting in an agreed contract for academic staff at polytechnics and other institutions; also notes that Dr Knight...