Veterinary Education (Hansard, 27 February 1990)

§ 11. Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Page report.

§ 12. Mr. Madel
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which university veterinary schools the Page inquiry into veterinary education visited during its inquiry; how many days were spent at each veterinary school taking evidence; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. MacGregor
I welcome the report of the committee chaired by Dr. Page on the demand for veterinary manpower, and the possible consequences for veterinary education. The committee took only oral and written evidence. The Government have already accepted the report's recommendations to remove limits on admissions to veterinary schools and to discontinue associated manpower reviews. The Universities Funding Council has now rejected the Riley report's recommendations affecting the Glasgow and Cambridge veterinary schools.

§ Mr. Worthington
It is good news that the Glasgow veterinary school has been saved, but will the Secretary of State condemn the recommendation in the Page report that takes all limits off the expansion of veterinary places and urges colleges wishing to do so to impose a levy on all students to finance expansion? If that proposal were accepted, the implications for higher education and for the principle of free access to higher education would be terrible. Will the Minister reject that recommendation?

§ Mr. MacGregor
I am glad that the hon. Gentleman at least welcomes the decision not to go ahead with the merging of the Glasgow and Edinburgh veterinary schools. I believe that that decision was absolutely right and I think that the decision to set up the Page inquiry—a decision taken by me—had a good deal to do with it.
On the hon. Gentleman's second point, it will, of course, be for individual institutions to decide whether to implement the recommendation to expand above the 400 limit, taking into account student demand, the Universities Funding Council's new mechanism for funding student places and their own circumstances.

§ Mr. Madel
After a thorough inquiry, the Riley committee said that the level of staffing in United Kingdom veterinary schools should increase, yet the Page committee said that there could be a 10 per cent. cut in the unit of resource without any noticeable effect on the quality of veterinary education. Does the Minister agree that the recommendation of the Page committee on the unit of resource is not acceptable?

§ Mr. MacGregor
The Page committee went into the matter with great thoroughness and realism. It is for the Universities Funding Council and the institutions to decide what to do. The Page committee was right in the view that it reached on the demand for veterinary graduates. It is for the institutions to respond to that point and the Page report was a useful insight into it.