§ 30. Dr. Brayasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much the expansion plans accepted by existing universities have exceeded the estimates made by the Robbins Committee; how much of this expansion has been met by agreement temporarily to overload existing staff and buildings; and how many student places are to be provided by new facilities approved since the publication of the Robbins Report.
§ Sir E. BoyleThe additional capital and recurrent provision for the universities announced by my right hon. Friend on 5th February and 14th May and estimated at a total of about £75 million was determined in the light of recommendations 170 to 173 of the Robbins Report relating to the short-term emergency. The Government recognise, as the Report itself states, that the achievement of the new objectives will mean improvisation and pressure, but it is not possible to quantify this in relation to this additional expenditure.
§ Dr. BrayCannot the Minister give the House any figures at all in view of the widespread impression that exists in the universities that they have squeezed their accommodation and staff rather harder than the Robbins Committee expected in order to be able to cope with the bulge? Is he aware that they are feeling that the Government are not meeting this by a comparably generous and vigorous effort to meet the demand for higher education?
§ Sir E. BoyleAs the hon. Member will no doubt recall, the extra capital allocation to the universities as a result of recommendations 170 to 173 was £36 million, which was larger than the biggest single normal annual allocation to the universities. I suggest that, really and 1537 truly, the Government have met the demand of the increased programme and have fulfilled the pledges and promises set out in last autumn's White Paper.
§ Mr. Peter EmeryCan my right hon. Friend tell the House whether, in effect, the Government are immediately approving all the recommendations made by the University Grants Committee as soon as applications for expansion are lodged by universities? Is it the position that applications from universities for expansion are in certain cases holding up some of this expansion, and not the Government's decision on the recommendations?
§ Sir E. BoyleThe distribution of the additional grants authorised by the Government between individual universities is, as my hon. Friend will be aware, the responsibility of the University Grants Committee, but all the announcements about the extra capital and recurrent grants to be made available to enable the Robbins 1967–68 target to be fulfilled have now been made.
§ Mr. CrossmanIs it not a fact that what has been requested by the universities in terms of both capital and recurrent sums to pay for the Robbins expansion has by no means been conceded by the Government?
§ Sir E. BoyleThe answer is that the University Grants Committee asked the universities how far they would be prepared to contribute towards the new objectives. The offers made totalled considerably larger numbers than Lord Robbins suggested in his Report. I have been asked in the Question to quantify the element of overcrowding, which it is not possible for me to do. I therefore pointed out that the extra capital sum allocated was very considerable and, as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, this is true of extra capital and recurrent amounts as well.
§ Mr. CrossmanI asked whether the amounts requested by the universities to fulfil their obligations under the expansion plan were greater than what the right hon. Gentleman has conceded.
§ Sir E. BoyleThe offers of the universities added up to considerably greater numbers than Lord Robbins proposed. I have said that the Government are 1538 making sufficient special capital and recurrent sums available to enable the Robbins target to be fulfilled, and to enable the Government promises made last autumn to be implemented.