§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rother Valley on 19 December 1979, he will explain why, despite his undertakings made on 26 November 1979 to keep the trade union side of the Central Council for Non-Teaching Staffs in Universities informed of matters affecting universities, no notification was or has been given of an announcement concerning supplementary payments which was made within 48 hours of the undertaking being made.
§ Dr. BoysonIn the light of the undertaking given at the meeting on 26 November 1979, arrangements were put in hand on 27 November for the trade 111W union side of the central council to be informed of matters affecting universities, but those arrangements were not fully implemented by 28 November when the announcement of supplementary grants to universities was made.—[Vol. 974, c. 648.] I infer from the hon. Members' question that the central council is none the less aware of the announcement and, presumably, of its content.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what expenditure he expects will have been incurred by universities in England and Wales during the current year; by how much he expects this sum to exceed the original estimates; and by how much support will be increased to meet the deficiency.
§ Dr. BoysonI explained in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 19 December 1979 that it was not possible at this stage to estimate the total expenditure of universities in the current financial year. £63 million has been added to the universities' recurrent grant in this financial year towards the cost of pay and price increases higher than those assumed when the grants for the academic year 1978–79 and 1979–80 were originally settled.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what payments of value added tax were made in 1978–79 and have been or could be made in the current year by universities in England and Wales; and by how much the increased payments in the current year will be compensated.
§ Dr. BoysonNo central record is kept of payments of value added tax by universities and the information, if available at all, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. During this financial year no additional grant will be made for price rises higher than those assumed in the grants as originally settled.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rother Valley on 19 December 1979, he will now list the numbers of staff, other than teaching and research staff, at each university in England and Wales.
112W
§ Dr. BoysonThis information is not available in my Department.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people employed at universities in England and Wales are currently at risk through failure to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act or of fire precautions.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Department has no information on this subject. Each university is responsible for making its own arrangements to comply with the requirements arising from legislation on fire precautions and health and safety at work.