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Charlie Owen's letter last week (August 10) suggests there is some confusion about when the next pay negotiations will be, following the current three-year deal. The full reference from the 2006-09 agreement makes it clear that the forthcoming review will "report by autumn 2008 to inform subsequent negotiations for the academic year 2009-10 and later, although in the event that the review were to provide evidence of HEI's ability further to improve the pay of staff for the 2008-09 year, this would be included within these negotiations". The negotiations for 2009-10 will take into account evidence of greater "affordability" in the preceding year, but the pay settlement for 2008-09 will not be reopened.

Jocelyn Prudence

Chief executive, Universities and Colleges Employers Association