QAA pays Williams before tribunal

THE Quality Assurance Agency has made an out-of-court settlement with its former assistant director to avoid an industrial tribunal.

The tribunal was due to hear claims of unfair dismissal and breach of contract yesterday and today from Mike Williams, who was made redundant by the QAA last November.

The settlement, for an undisclosed sum, was agreed after Mr Williams rejected two previous offers of compensation from the QAA.

Mr Williams had argued that his contract guaranteed employment until July 31 this year, and was seeking five months' pay and pensionable service.

Mr Williams claimed he was put under pressure to leave after he objected in writing to the intervention by QAA chief executive John Randall on decisions made by the agency's degree awarding powers committee.

Both the QAA and Mr Randall have declined to comment this week.