The Science and Technology Committee of the UK House of Commons has published it much-anticipated Report into Scientific Publishing. The Committee announced late in 2003 its intention to undertake an inquiry into scientific publications and to looking at access to journals within the scientific community, with particular reference to price and availability. The Committee concludes that 'the current model for scientific publishing is unsatisfactory' and makes a number of recommendations to the UK Government and funding bodies. These include the recommendations suggested by SPARC Europe in our written evidence: 1) Funding bodies should require that authors retain copyright; 2) Funding bodies should require that authors deposit a copy of their final papers in suitable repositories; 3) Funding bodies should make funds available to pay publication charges in open access journals.

(In addition to the Report, the oral evidence collected is available, from 1st and 8th of March, 21st April, and 5th May.)