§ 21. Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much he expects the level of funds available to the University Grants Committee and the research councils, respectively, to be reduced over the next three years.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleThe Government's expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8175, envisages a reduction in the level of funds available to the University Grants Committee for recurrent expenditure in universities of about 3½ per cent. in real terms in the financial year 1981–82. As the White Paper explains, the detailed implications of the plans for the university sector are under discussion with the UGC and its funds for the later years have not yet been settled.
For the science budget, from which the research councils receive their annual grants-in-aid from my Department, the expenditure plans announced in the White Paper allow for provision to be held broadly at the current level throughout the period up to 1983–84.