§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether, since the two Northern Ireland universities, unlike their counterparts in the rest of the United Kingdom, have so far received no guidance for expenditure for the years 1982–83 to 1984–85, he will take urgent steps to ensure that such guidance is issued;
(2) whether he will consider asking the University Grants Committee to produce a special Northern Ireland version of guidance and advice applicable to Queen's University, Belfast, and the New University of Ulster in advance of the publication of the Chilver report so that the two Northern Ireland universities can be assured of equivalency of treatment with other British universities;
(3) whether, in view of the delay in the publication of the final Chilver report, he will give sympathetic consideration to the financial and resources planning problems facing Queen's University, Belfast, and the New University of Ulster, and inform both universities as soon as possible of their tentative recurrent grants for 1982–83 and 1983–84 and preliminary advice with respect to areas where expansion or contraction is expected.
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§ Mr. ScottI do not think that it would be sensible to give guidance about future work at either Queen's University, Belfast or New University of Ulster in advance of the report of the higher education review group, which will be made to me shortly. Both universities are aware that the principle of parity of funding between the Northern Ireland universities and those in Great Britain means that there will be corresponding financial reductions. The recurrent grant to the Northern Ireland universities for the 1981–82 academic year was made on this basis. The universities have been advised to plan on corresponding reductions applying in 1982–83 and 1983–84.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will give urgent consideration, in consultation with the two vice-chancellors concerned, to the desirability of bringing the two Northern Ireland universities directly under the University Grants Committee in a manner similar to other universities in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. ScottI have no plans for changes in the present arrangements for the funding of the Northern Ireland universities.