§ Mr. FranksTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the recent pay agreement between the management and staff sides in the universities.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe Government have today accepted proposals put forward by the university employers and staff sides for salary increases for non-clinical academic staff in 1989–90. I am pleased that these provide for greater flexibility and differentiation in the salaries of lecturers and professors to take account of merit and market conditions. The Government have agreed that an extra £37 million should be made available for university staff pay this year, with corresponding sums in future years.
The universities have also provided evidence of satisfactory progress with the appraisal of their staff. I have accordingly authorised the Universities Funding Council to release to universities the £67 million which was conditional on the production of that evidence.