HL Deb 09 April 1987 vol 486 c1115

11.16 a.m.

Lord Boyd-Carpenter

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost this year to public funds of Ruskin College, Oxford.

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, just over £674,000 has been allocated to the college for capital and recurrent expenditure during the 1986–87 academic year. Costs of £365,000 are likely to be incurred on adult education state awards for students studying at Ruskin during the same period.

Lord Boyd-Carpenter

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for those interesting figures, is she satisfied that the public generally get full value for that money?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, the Government continue to recognise that the provision of long-term residential education for adults by colleges such as Ruskin complements the range of educational opportunities available for adults in the country, and the education offered by the college is regarded generally as sound.

Lord Bottomley

My Lords, as an ex-student of Toynbee Hall and having had a past association with Ruskin College, may I ask the Minister whether she would not agree that if it were not for institutions of this kind the less fortunate members of society would have been deprived of a higher form of education?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, Ruskin certainly has a place in the education system.