HL Deb 07 July 1997 vol 581 cc410-1

2.52 p.m.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they propose to promote public debate within and beyond Parliament on the future of higher education in the United Kingdom after the publication of the Dearing Report.

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)

My Lords, the report of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education is expected to be published later this month. At that point the Government will make a Statement and invite comments on its recommendations, with the intention of making a fuller response later in the year. The Government will also take into account the wide range of consultation already undertaken by the National Committee of Inquiry.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

My Lords, will the noble Baroness accept that urgency and importance push in different directions in relation to the report? The budgetary squeeze on universities is sufficiently acute for many of them to want to take decisions before the 1998 year. The importance of this for the future of universities suggests that a period of consultation—which may, for example, be from late July to late September, when most of us are on vacation—will not necessarily be such as to encourage wide public understanding.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, I am fully aware, having been the head of an academic institution myself, that universities are, in part at least, on holiday during August and September. However, as I am sure the noble Lord is aware, many people in universities work extremely hard even in August and September. It has been known for a long time that the date of publication of the Dearing Committee's report would be towards the end of July. Most academic institutions and the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals are well aware of that fact.

Lord Beloff

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the University of Oxford's congregation met only once in August in the past 50 years? That was to acknowledge and receive a major private benefaction. Where there is money on the table, universities will ignore their so-called holidays.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, it is wise of them to ignore their holidays when there is money on the table.

Lord Monkswell

My Lords, is the Minister aware that during the previous administration it became the practice of the Conservative Government to consult on major changes in education during the summer vacation period? That gave a bad name to that government in regard to public consultation on significant issues. Can the Minister assure the House that that will not be the practice of the new Government?

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, I can assure my noble friend that that will not happen. Perhaps I may put a little flesh on what I said earlier. The Dearing inquiry has already consulted widely in drawing up its recommendations. During the course of its work it received written evidence from 840 individuals and organisations and had 150 meetings with interested parties. Therefore, there has already been an enormous amount of consultation. Moreover, on the day of publication I plan to write to the representative bodies enclosing a copy of the Government's Statement and inviting comments on the recommendations addressed to them. We shall be listening to what people have to say throughout the summer and, indeed, in the early autumn.

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford

My Lords, I welcome the statement about more discussion. Has the Minister considered—I have heard rumours to this effect—how replacing A-levels with a baccalaureate-style examination will affect university funding? I ask that in view of the fact that all our neighbours who use the baccalaureate always have four-year university courses, and Scotland, which has the equivalent of the baccalaureate, also has four-year university courses. Therefore, if the baccalaureate is on the cards, has the Minister given thought to the effect on funding?

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, this supplementary question is rather far from the Question on the Order Paper. However, I am happy to say that a consideration such as whether a baccalaureate should be introduced would take into account the position of higher education and of the universities in particular. Perhaps I may add that no decisions have been made about introducing a baccalaureate and any suggestions in the press that indicate that are inaccurate.