§ 3.5 p.m.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total of grants for furniture and equipment to universities authorised on or before July 25, 1967, for the current period, and to what total amount, and to which universities, have further such grants been authorised since that date.]
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, the total amount of grant authorised for university expenditure on furniture and equipment in the current financial year was £25.5 million. On October 27, 1967, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced in another place that an additional £1.65 million is to be made available. By July, 1967, the drawings by universities amounted to about £8.5 million. The total drawings to date are about £14 million. The allocation of grants to individual universities is a matter for the University Grants Committee.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. It sounds to me to be a little close. Do the figures include the interest on overdrafts, to which a number of the universities had to submit in order to get new buildings occupied and in use?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I am sure my noble friend will appreciate that that is a question with which I shall have to deal later. I will let him have the reply in writing.