§ Mr. Richardasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the allocation of recurrent grant to universities for the next quinquennium 1967–72.
§ Mr. CroslandThe Government are reviewing the quinquennial system. One difficulty about the system as it has operated hitherto is that universities do not know their recurrent grants for a new quinquennium until near the end of the last year of the old quinquennium. This creates an awkward transitional problem and limits the effectiveness of forward planning by the universities. The difficulty would be all the greater on this next occasion with the increase in the number of university institutions and the increasing complexity of the issues involved.
Accordingly the Government, after consulting the University Grants Committee, have decided to make a provisional allocation of recurrent grant for the first year of the next quinquennium (that is the academic year 1967–68), well in advance of the final settlement for the quinquennium as a whole. I would hope to be able to announce this provisional allocation towards the end of 1966; this would enable universities to make their plans, particularly in relation to staff recruitment, for 1967–68. The University Grants Committee have consulted the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and have assured me that this change in procedure will be acceptable to universities.