Schedule 1.—(COMPOSITION OF COURTS OF OLDER UNIVERSITIES.) (Hansard, 17 February 1966)

§ Mrs. Hart

I beg to move Amendment No. 46, in page 9, line 24, leave out from "number" to "as" in line 25 and insert: of whom none may hold an appointment in the University of St. Andrews". I think it would be convenient if we take Amendments Nos. 48, 49, 50 and 51.

This Amendment and those associated with it give effect to the undertaking I gave in Committee to delete the words "full-time" on Report to ensure that the Court of St. Andrews would have a lay majority and that this would follow for the courts of the other universities. During the discussion on Schedule 1 hon. Members will remember that the 1648 hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Wylie) drew attention to the possibility that under the wording of the Bill as it then stood professors who held chairs under the patronage of bodies other than the university court—he was particularly pointing to Edinburgh—could be co-opted on to the university court and thus disturb the balance between lay and academic representation.

Hon. Members will remember that I promised to look at this point and this Amendment, is the result. We have confirmed that there are academic appointments under the patronage of bodies other than the courts in all four universities. The Amendments will ensure that the courts continue to have a lay majority. It will be obvious why it was convenient to take Amendment No. 51 with this, because it covers a safe point and fulfils the undertaking given in Committee.