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As the three independent members appointed to the Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff review of higher education finance and pay data, we feel it is important to bring some information to the attention of your readers in relation to the story "UCU claim will not be swayed by pay review" (5 June).

The review group on which we sit jointly with the higher education unions and employers has come together to do a piece of work that was agreed as part of the 2006-09 JNCHES pay agreement and is intended to "inform future negotiations". The work is supported by the higher education sector, through the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, and by the unions. As with any work of this nature, it would always be helpful to have more money and more time, but this work is not contingent on funding assistance being made available from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

We have a great deal of solid data to inform our work, and these are being rigorously examined. We are confident in the processes that are being followed and believe the review group can produce a robust and credible piece of work that meets its agreed purpose.

Baroness (Rennie) Fritchie, Dick Coldwell and Bill Callaghan.