INTRODUCTION
In September 2003, the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) commissioned the Science and Technology Studies Unit (SATSU), part of the Department of Sociology at the University of York, in collaboration with the School of Social Sciences and Law at Oxford Brookes University, to undertake the Development of a Framework for Social Science Research Ethics.

A Background Paper sets out the context for the ESRC decision to develop new national guidelines for social science research ethics, and how such guidelines might be realised. The authors - the Research Ethics Framework project team - were commissioned to help build the Framework through a range of activities between September 2003 and April 2004.

Activities included production of a series of papers focusing on core issues; in-depth interviews with a wide range of stakeholders; and regional meetings in February 2004 for debate and discussion of draft Framework documents. This site provides a further channel for feedback and commentary. Overall, the exercise will be rigourous yet inclusive of the many interests involved in the development and implementation of ethics review structures and we invite all interested parties to participate.

Completion date was April 2004 and the draft Framework was delivered to the ESRC in early May 2004. A national Launch Event is provisionally scheduled for summer 2005, followed by a series of workshops in Autumn 2005. See Latest News for more information.

With project completion in May 2004, this site now records project activities and outcomes plus some additions to the KnowledgeBase and will remain "live" until at least September 2005. Information on the ESRC's Research Ethics Framework will be available on the ESRC's website from July 2005.