HC Deb 12 April 1962 vol 657 cc1503-4
43. Mr. Wainwright

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the proportion of the national income which was spent on all university education for the years 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961 and the estimated proportion for the years 1962,1963,1964 and 1965.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry Brooke)

As the reply contains a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Wainwright

What will be the approximate proportion in 1965–66? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the answer I received from his Department the other day, to the effect that in 1964–65 the ratio of university students will be I in 19 of the relevant age group and that, in the following year, it will be I in 22? How can the right hon. Gentleman expect to create a modern, progressive and thriving Great Britain if he does not do something about our educational facilities?

Mr. Brooke

I explained to the House last week that the Government are increasing their allocations from public funds to the universities at an unpredented rate. They have been doubled in the last five years and they will increase by 50 per cent. in the next five.

Following is the reply: The proportion of national income spent on university education consists of the recurrent and non-recurrent grants from the Exchequer to the universities, which in 1961–62 made up approximately 75 per cent. of university income, together with public expenditure on student awards and the other income of universities (such as endowment income and fees personally paid). Expenditure on the universities is normally given in terms of academic years (August to July), but for the purposes of the comparison requested it is necessary to take financial years (April to March). The table below gives the figures of expenditure from public funds for the financial years 1957–58 to 1961–62:
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
Financial Years Total Cost to Public Funds* Gross National Product Col. (2) as percentage of Col. (3)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
£m. £m Per cent.
1957–58 56.3 19,693 .29
1958–59 67.3 20,249 .33
1959–60 76.7 21,491 .36
1960–61 85.8 22,678 .40
1961–62 109.7 23,790 .46
* Excluding expenditure by Research Councils towards university research and post-graduate awards.
Precise forecasts for future years over the whole field covered by the Question are not available, but it is anticipated that public expenditure on university education will continue to rise annually and by 1965–66 will reach about £150 million.