HC Deb 14 May 1964 vol 695 cc98-100W
Mr. Awdry

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now announce the remainder of the capital programme to be authorised by the Government to secure the expansion of university education recommended by the Robbins Committee for 1967–68.

Mr. Hogg

Yes. On 5th February I announced that building work to be started this calendar year would be increased from £33½ million to £48½ million. The Government have been considering what further building starts are required to secure the expansion envisaged for 1967–68, taking account of the £33½ million starts already authorised for the calendar year 1965. They consider it essential, in view of the heavy pressure for all forms of public investment, that the remainder of the capital programme should be spread over as long a period as is consistent with the objective. The end of March, 1966, is estimated as the last date on which work can be begun which will effectively contribute to extra places in 1967–68. The Government therefore propose to authorise starts on this occasion for the 15-month period 1st January, 1965, to 31st March, 1966. This will have the advantage for the future of putting university capital programmes on the basis of financial years like other educational, and most other public investment.

The building starts to be authorised in the fifteen-month period will be £54½ million. This, of course, includes the £33½ million to which I have already referred. The University Grants Committee in accordance with the usual practice, will be allocating this total between the universities.

This provides for the expansion down to 1967–68. Subsequent capital programmes from the financial year 1966–67 onwards will be concerned with university development down to 1973–74, on which the University Grants Committee is now working. The present announcement brings the total capital sum committed during the lifetime of this Parliament to university and comparable development to over £300 million. Of this some £200 million is for building work, and the rest for equipment, fees, and sites. The effect of this massive pro- vision can be simply stated. In 1959–60 the university population was about 100,000. It is now, with the new Colleges of Advanced Technology and other institutions attaining university status, nearly 140,000. In 1967–68 it will be nearly 200,000.