EDUCATION (STATUS OF DEGREES) BILL (Hansard, 11 July 1973)

§ Mr. Thomas Cox (Wandsworth, Central)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the granting of authorised degrees and other academic qualifications. May I express my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) and also to Mr. Lyndon H. Jones, the Principal of the South-West London College in my constituency, for the efforts which they have already made in exposing the abuse of bogus education degrees.

Bogus degrees and the organisations which supply them have existed for a long time. One can trace their existence in the United States of America through to the last century. Such has been the growth of these organisations and the money that they have been making, the equivalent of between £20 million and £25 million a year, that laws have had to be introduced in many States to curb these activities, and because of the tightening up of legislation in the United States of America one has seen the growth of these supposed education colleges in this country.

The methods followed by these organisations are at times almost beyond belief. It is possible to obtain supposed qualifications in virtually any subject. I could obtain a most impressive certificate stating that I have studied and obtained a degree or diploma in subjects as varied as hypnotism, estate agency and valuation, accountancy, chiropody, agriculture, in any of the arts and sciences, diseases of the ear, nose and throat, or as a minister of religion, to name just a few, but sufficient to indicate the potential danger which could face anyone who unsuspectingly sought to use the services of someone who was practising in such subjects by reason of using bogus degrees.

It may be asked who would have the nerve to buy such a degree and then seek to use it. Many people would, and in fact do. In one case a man was put in charge of a group of psychologically disturbed children. In another case a position on the staff of an overseas embassy was obtained by such a degree.

1527 One may equally ask why people apply for such degrees. Often, no doubt, it is to flatter one's ego but it is very often because people genuinely believe that these organisations are colleges of education, and this view is strengthened because of the recognised high standards of British education, the belief that this country would not allow such despicable methods to be followed here, and also because a person who genuinely wishes to further his education, if possible by obtaining a qualification, is misled into accepting the authenticities of these organisations. Who could blame them when these organisations are called the University of Winchester or the Sussex College of Technology? Consider for a moment the similarity of the name with that of the genuine Sussex University.

I understand that there are now 30 of these organisations operating in this country and they are making a great deal of money. Bogus degrees can cost anything up to several hundred pounds each, and the people who run these organisations have been doing so for a very long time. To name just a few, we have Mr. Charles Brealy, who calls himself an archbishop of the Old Catholic Church of England. There is a Mr. William Duncan, of University House, Coventry, who, I understand, specialises in medical degrees; a Dr. Bruce Copen, who is Dean of studies at Sussex College of Technology. Let me say that he is a doctor of nothing. We have Mr. Lloyd Harris of Newport, Monmouthshire, who granted a degree to Oliver Greenhalgh in the English Association of Estate Agents and Valuers. On the certificate that Oliver Greenhalgh received it is stated that he had been engaged in the work of estate agency for the period required by this association, and that he had satisfied the council as to the thoroughness of his knowledge of estate agency and valuation subjects. The only problem for Oliver in pursuing his profession was that he turned out to be a cat.

To some people this may seem amusing and even farcical, but it is a serious matter. It is serious because these people are committing no offence even though I describe them as crooks because they obtain money by deception. In spite of repeated attacks by education authorities, 1528 condemnation by the Robbins Committee on Higher Education, and the views expressed as long ago as 1960 by the vice-chancellors, nothing has been done to stop these people from selling bogus degrees.

In May this year the Department of Education and Science published a list of approved organisations whose degrees or diplomas are acceptable to the Department. However, it left out other organisations of which I would make no criticism and which I believe should have been included in its list. It did nothing whatever to outlaw the granting of bogus qualifications, hence the reason for my Bill. In it I propose that no organisation would be allowed to operate in the United Kingdom unless it was approved and registered by the Department. Anyone who sought to sell such qualifications 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.

I totally reject the argument that legislation will be difficult to introduce. I cannot believe that the Robbins Committee would have recommended legislation had it not been perfectly clear to it that it could be introduced and enforced. Other countries have done this and even a small country such as Hong Kong has passed legislation. I suggest therefore that this country could do it, too, and that we should do it as quickly as possible.

I have outlined why legislation should be introduced and I hope that the Department of Education and Science will support my Bill. My hon. Friends and I intend to use every opportunity we have to press the Government to outlaw these despicable practices, which benefit only those who seek to make money while bringing discredit to our educational standards. The time is long overdue for legislation.