§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total annual cost to public funds in 1968, including student grants, of the universities.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe cost for Great Britain in the financial year 1967–68 was £290.3 million.
§ Mr. Coeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the recurrent grants to universities.
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§ Mr. Edward ShortGrants in aid of the universities' recurrent expenditure for the current quinquennium, ending in July, 1972, were announced in October, 1967. Last December, I announced that financial provision would be made for increases in academic salaries recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes to take effect from October, 1968.
I have now again reviewed the grants in the light of advice from the University Grants Committee and of information about increases in prices, other than increases in academic salaries, between July, 1967 and July, 1968.
I have also had regard to the current economic situation. As a result, I have decided to make further supplementary grants of £1.785 million, £5.550 million, and £5.750 million in the academic years 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72 respectively. These grants will be paid from April, 1970 onwards and will fall in the financial years 1970–71 to 1972–73.
The total estimated provision for the last three years of the quinquennium revised to take account of salary and price increases (but excluding rates, which are the subject of separate grants) may therefore be compared as follows with the original allocations announced in October, 1967:
£m. Academic Year Original allocation Revised allocation 1969–70 159.5 165.5 1070–71 166.0 176.2 1970–72 172.5 183.4