§ 56. Mr. Maxtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Scottish Universities Joint Board has intimated that a substantial increase in university fees in all faculties except the medical faculty is to be imposed, to take effect from the beginning of the next session; whether he was consulted before this step was taken; and whether he will consider whether the deficiencies in university income can be made good in some other way.
§ Sir J. AndersonI am aware of the decision of the Scottish Universities to increase certain university fees. This is not a matter in which I have any jurisdiction or on which I should expect to be consulted in advance, but I may say that even at the higher levels the fees at the Scottish universities will, in general, be lower than those charged by universities in England. With regard to the last part of the Question, the University Grants Committee are now actively engaged in reviewing the future financial needs of the universities, and I am not in a position to anticipate their recommendations.
§ Mr. MaxtonDoes the right hon. Gentleman tell me that he was never consulted in this matter, either as Chancellor of the Exchequer or as one of the representatives of the universities in this House?
§ Sir J. AndersonCertainly.
§ Mr. MaxtonBut the right hon. Gentleman is providing a very large proportion 31 the grants to the Scottish universities. Am I to understand that, at a time when we want more doctors and more teachers, they have raised fees for the individual students without any attempt to increase their revenue from other sources?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am not responsible for the decision.
§ Mr. MaxtonI tackled the Secretary of State for Scotland the other week, and he passed me on to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. To whom is the Chancellor of the Exchequer now passing me on?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am not passing the hon. Member on to anybody; but, as I was saying, I was not responsible for the increases in fees, nor had I any right to expect to be consulted.