Latest UK news

£1 billion boost for UK colleges
Education secretary David Blunkett has announced a £1 billion fillip for UK further education colleges to promote centres of excellence in vocational specialisms, upgrade standards, meet skills targets and raise lecturers' pay.

London dome to become science park
London's Millennium Dome is set to become a high-tech science park following the announcement that Legacy plc is the preferred bidder for the site's redevelopment. Legacy claims the Open University and Imperial College, London, are backing its plans.

Auction mooted for National Lottery
Warwick University economist Ian Walker has said the battle for the UK National Lottery should be decided by auction. Professor Walker, who studied the game for a year, said payment should go to good causes.

Oxford debates admissions bias
The Oxford Union is holding a debate tonight on “This house believes that the Oxbridge admissions system is biased against comprehensive schools”. It is billed as the first time leading figures in the Laura Spence affair debate face to face. Guests include Spence's headmaster and the president of the college that rejected her.