HC Deb 30 October 1952 vol 505 cc2098-9
36. Mr. Grimond

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the grants to Scottish universities are smaller per student than those to the English universities.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

Other factors beside student numbers have to be taken into account in assessing grants to universities. In addition to teaching, the universities do research work which bears no relation to student numbers.

Mr. Grimond

While I appreciate the fact that other factors have to be taken into consideration, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the grants are double in England what they are in Scotland and that the numbers attending the Scottish universities are declining? Will he look into the question of these grants again?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I shall, of course, look into any question the hon. Member asks me to, but it may console him to know that whereas Scotland contains only 10½ per cent. of the population of Great Britain in the last year it got 15.6 per cent. of the recurrent grants from the University Grants Committee.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that is probably because the Scottish universities can perform more work with less money than the English universities?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I am not going to be led into that dangerous and not uncontroversial subject.

Mr. J. Johnson

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Scots pay more to their teachers than we do south of the Border? Will he do something about that?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

That is quite another question.