STATUS OF DEGREES BILL (Hansard, 19 December 1973)

§ Mr. Thomas Cox (Wandsworth, Central)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the granting of education degrees. In July of this year I introduced a Bill which was identical to this Bill. In view of the evidence which I shall present of the abuses which exist in the granting of bogus education degrees, I hope, in regard to the Bill, that the Minister will now start to show much more interest and will support this long-overdue legislation which is needed to outlaw supposed colleges of education which are granting these degrees.

Following the presentation of the previous Bill, I received many letters from numerous parts of the world supporting the Bill. Copies of advertisements appearing in publications on sale in Britain and abroad, all offering education degrees from supposed colleges which are operating in this country, were sent to me. I also received a letter from the Director of Education of the Education Department of Jersey expressing concern that these supposed colleges would seek to start operating in Jersey. I have received letters from members of parliaments of countries in the Far East seeking advice on how to stop similar organisations which are already operating in their countries.

But the most important letter that I received concerning this country came from the British Council. It expressed the deepest concern about the effects of bogus degrees on people living overseas and on the reputation of British education throughout the world, in particular in 1346 Commonwealth countries. Indeed, in that letter reference is made to the concern being expressed by the Department of Education and Science over the damage that is caused by those who operate bogus degree colleges.

I repeat to the House that it is possible to buy a supposed degree in virtually any subject. I could obtain, as could anyone in Britain, as long as I was prepared to pay the price—a very high price—a doctorate of law, of science, of letters, of music, of divinity and of commercial science. Indeed, the advertisements are headed "British Doctorates for Sale". From the arch-villain of supplying bogus degrees, Bruce Copen, who now calls himself the "Chancellor", it is possible to obtain degrees or PhDs in such subjects as biochemistry, botanic medicine, psychology, diet and nutrition, and drugless healing, to name but a few—and this highlights yet again what is happening.

One can easily visualise the damage that could be caused and, indeed, the danger, by people seeking to use such bogus degrees. People do seek to obtain employment by using these bogus degrees. Last week in the House I referred to a letter dated 2nd November 1973 from the Health Department of the State of New York, which was questioning the authenticity of a doctorate of science produced by a person seeking employment in New York. That supposed doctorate was granted in this country. Needless to say, it is worthless.

It is more difficult to prove how much money is being made by those who operate these colleges. In the New York Times of 25th July 1973 a report showed that the London Institute of Applied Research, from October 1972 until July 1973, made over 50,000 dollars, well over £20,000. That is a supposed college operating in this country. Bruce Copen, to whom I have referred, was once living in a caravan. He now lives in a 20-room house that has been valued at well over £100,000.

What is easy for me to prove is the harm that these people are causing. I have a contact with someone holding a very high position in London University and who is inundated with letters from all parts of the world, from colleges and from highly respected businesses, 1347 asking about the value of such degrees held by people seeking employment with them. Who can blame them for being misled when one considers the names that are used by these colleges, such as the Sussex College of Technology, University House, Coventry, St. Andrew's College, and the London College of Applied Sciences. But invariably the degrees that are offered are worthless.

One other factor of concern is the spread of these colleges into countries which are now part of the European Economic Community. The links that these operators have in countries throughout the world would without doubt win glowing admiration from the Mafia. I have lists of many of these colleges and the countries in which they operate. The same names as to the supposed professors of the faculty appear time and again in these lists. Therefore, it is against that background that I seek to introduce legislation. There can be no doubt of its need. Indeed, the British Council's letter proves that. Why should anyone be allowed to destroy the reputation of British education for the money that they can make?

My Bill proposes that no organisation offering degrees would be allowed to operate in the United Kingdom unless approved and registered by the Department of Education and Science. Anyone who sought to sell such degrees would be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, to a minimum fine of £500 and, on subsequent conviction, to a minimum fine of £1,000.

Last week in the House, in reply to a Question of mine, the Secretary of State for Education and Science claimed that sufficient action had been taken by her Department by the publication of a list of approved colleges in this country which are able to award degrees. May I tell her and her advisers that they are sadly out of touch with the views of distinguished 1348 members of the education profession in Britain if they believe that sufficient action has been taken.

The problem will not go away. The people who operate freely in this country are operating too good a thing to give it up. That is why legislation is needed, to stop the abuses and the potential damage that could be caused, but, above all, to stop the right which now exists to discredit the reputation of this country's education standards throughout the world for financial gain. That is why I beg to ask leave to introduce the Bill.