§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the pay gap in the higher education sector. [164769]
§ Alan JohnsonAs the employers, higher education institutions (HEIs) are responsible for pay in higher education. However, we do recognise that Government funding plays a part in what institutions can pay their staff.
We have invested nearly £330 million from 2001–02 to 2003–04 through the Rewarding and Developing Staff (RDS) initiative to help HEIs increase their human 1534W resource capability. One of the six priority areas that HEIs need to address in their human resource strategies is the development of equal opportunity targets, including ensuring equal pay for work of equal value.
RDS sits within the broader context of Government funding in higher education. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are allocating almost £6 billion of grants for 2004–05, a 9.3 per cent. increase on 2003£04. Within that, funding for teaching is increasing by 5.6 per cent. The 2004 Spending Review settlement, announced on 17 March, will allow investment in the sector to continue to grow in real terms.