HC Deb 17 July 1984 vol 64 cc164-5
11. Ms. Clare Short

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of the Open University.

Sir Keith Joseph

The Open University has an important part to play in the Government's strategy for higher education, both in its role as a "second chance" institution which offers adults the opportunity to study at degree level, and increasingly as a provider of continuing education and updating courses relevant to our economic needs.

Ms. Short

Is it not time that the Secretary of State visited the Open University, planned for expansion of its provisions instead of the cuts about which we have heard, and stopped interfering in the curriculum of this immensely popular institution?

Sir Keith Joseph

We do not believe that the constraints of finance that were proposed should diminish the activities or the quality of the Open University.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

Has my right hon. Friend seen the early-day motion that I have tabled on the Open University, which has been signed by hon. Members of all parties? Will he accept that there are some Conservative Members who feel that the Open University offers a unique opportunity for those young people who were not able to take advantage of higher education when they left their secondary schools? Therefore, will my right hon. Friend treat the Open University as a special case?

Sir Keith Joseph

My hon. Friend is swallowing the Open University's assertion that its grant is being cut by 20 per cent. We have not had any calculations to support that. We believe that the proposed cut is very much less.

Dr. Marek

Does the Secretary of State realise that there is great concern about his dabbling in the courses of the Open University, particularly in the sociology department? Will he stand up for academic principles and either drop those investigations or, for the sake of balance, look into the extremist courses being taught at the school of economics in Liverpool university?

Sir Keith Joseph

I shall take seriously, and I hope that any vice-chancellor will take seriously, any complaints that reach him or me. In the Library there is a copy of the comments on the particular course, which I hope the hon. Gentleman will read. The preoccupation of the Government is only with the quality and balance of the courses about which there are complaints, not about bias.

Dr. M. S. Miller

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by the bland statement "relevant to our economic needs'?

Sir Keith Joseph

The Government have publicly announced that we are asking higher education to carry out a switch of 2 per cent. of places from the arts and humanities to science, engineering and technology.