UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.] (Hansard, 18 May 1922)

§ LORD STANMORE

My Lords, this Bill has been introduced by the Government on behalf of the four Universities of Scotland. 527 Under the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889, the University Courts of the four Universities have the power to make, alter or revoke Ordinances. The present Bill extends this power and enables the University Courts to make Ordinances for the following purposes:—(1) To impose age limits upon the tenure of office of any principal or professor; (2) to institute new pension systems for principals or professors in addition to, or instead of, any existing system; and, (3) to provide for the admission of lecturers or readers to the Senatus Academicus. In accordance with the procedure under the Act of 1889, which is applied in this Bill, any of these Ordinances will require the approval of His Majesty in Council before they become operative.

Any principalship or professorship of which the Crown has the patronage, can only be affected by any new Ordinance prescribing limits of tenure with the consent of the Crown. The rights of principals and professors already holding office are also duly safeguarded. The Bill also provides for the admission of lecturers or readers to the General Council of the University during their tenure of office. It frequently happens that graduates of other Universities occupy the position of lecturers. At present they are not entitled to the rights of members of the Council of the University in which they are serving. This is recognised to be a defect and the Bill proposes to remove it. The Bill has been carefully considered by the governing and consultative bodies concerned, and the proposals which it contains are put forward with the approval of all the Universities. I may add that the Bill throws no burden upon the Exchequer, and I trust that your Lordships will agree to give the Bill a Second Reading.