§ 8. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total cost of the University Grants Committee's hostel-building programme for each of the next five years; how many additional student places will be provided; what is the future building programme for the following 10 years; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. William van Straubenzee)University building programmes from 1973–74 onwards have not yet been settled. Projects starting in the five years from 1968–69 to 1972–73 will provide over 23,000 residential places at a cost to public funds of about million.
§ Mrs. ShortIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the considerable concern in many university cities about the shortage of suitable hostel accommodation for students? Will he look at the whole question of the provision of hostel accommodation, at the ways in which it can be used more than it is at present, particularly during the long summer vacation, and at those areas where hostel accommodation has been provided but is not fully used because the students prefer to live in town?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI will certainly do that. Indeed, we are already looking closely at the matters which the hon. Lady mentioned. I only ask that we look at the provision for higher education as a whole and not by sectors. As the hon. Lady knows, the requirements in the non-university sector are even greater.