We were very disappointed with your editorial on the B.Ed, particularly given the wealth of information available about the contribution - in terms of both quality and quantity - that undergraduate teacher education programmes make to teacher supply. Newly qualified teachers, for example, rate them as being extremely effective in preparing them to teach, and they are very popular with schools. They give students more time in school than postgraduate routes and more scope to spend time on key areas such as special educational needs. According to Ofsted, they are of high quality.

At a time when teacher education is under close scrutiny, it is important that public debate is informed by evidence rather than conjecture.

James Noble-Rogers, Executive director, Universties Council for the Education of Teachers, London.