University of Keele (Hansard, 24 May 1962)

§ 24. Mr. Swingler
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amounts of the recurrent grants proposed for the University of Keele for each year of the forthcoming quinquennium; what increases in student numbers were originally allowed for by the University Grants Committee; what increases are provided for in these grants; 663 and to what extent these grants allow for further increases in the salary scales of university staffs.

§ Mr. Brooke
The matters referred to in the first three parts of the question are entirely within the responsibility of the University Grants Committee, and it is not for me to announce or comment on the amounts of recurrent grants allocated by them to individual universities. In reply to the fourth part, additions are made to recurrent grants when the salaries of university teaching staffs are increased.

§ Mr. Swingler
Does not the Treasury take any responsibility for the results of this action? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the University Grants Committee specially requested the University of Keele to provide an extra 400 university places in the next five years? Is he aware that the consequence of the financial strait-jacket put on the University Grants Committee by the Treasury is that already this young university has had to impose a 75 per cent. cut on its rate of expansion? Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise the terrible disappointment that this causes in a new university? Would he reconsider the matter with the University Grants Committee?

§ Mr. Brooke
The hon. Member will not tempt me to make any comments on the ways in which the University Grants Committee, in the discretion given to it by this House, decides to allocate grants as between one university and another. I am answerable to the House for the total amount made available to the University Grants Committee and I am prepared to defend the Government's policy on that.

§ 25. Mr. Swingler
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the recurrent grant for 1962–63 now to be made to the University of Keele will permit only one-quarter of the increase in student numbers which had been planned; and, in the light of the need and demand for more university places, if he will review the amount of this grant.

§ Mr. Brooke
No, Sir. I should not be justified in reviewing an individual allocation made by the University Grants Committee.

§ Mr. Swingler
Will the right hon. Gentleman kindly investigate on what understanding between the Treasury and the University Grants Committee that Committee asked the University of Keele to provide extra university places for which the Treasury now refuses to provide the money? Will the right hon. Gentleman take responsibility for this situation and investigate and discuss it with the University Grants Committee?

§ Mr. Brooke
The hon. Member can have it one way, but he cannot have it both ways. As long as it is understood that the University Grants Committee has discretion in these matters and acts as a barrier to protect universities against interference by Parliament, I will not pursue in detail the sort of inquiries that the hon. Member desires.

§ Mr. Wainwright
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the main fault here is that insufficient money is being granted to the universities to make more places possible? Is he not aware that in answer to a Question of mine only a fortnight ago he said that in 1964–65 the number of places will be one in twenty for the relevant age group? When will the right hon. Gentleman give more money to the U.G.C. so as to enable more places to be made available?

§ Mr. Brooke
The Government are giving over the next quinquennium an increase of no less than 55 per cent, in their grants to accommodate, I hope, an increase of 35 per cent, in the number of university students.

§ Mr. G. Brown
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, deliberately or otherwise, he is missing the question which he has been asked? An increase of a certain number in places has been planned, but the Government are making available money which will permit only a much smaller increase. Will the right hon. Gentleman explain why he is withholding the money for the number of places that the Government planned should be made available?

§ Mr. Brooke
It is not for the Government to say how many places should be made available. What the Government are doing is to make available a sum of money which will increase by 55 per cent, over the next five years and to 665 express the hope that the universities will be able to use that money to accommodate 35 per cent. more students.