§ 42. Mr. Malcolm MacPhersonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the method of calculation by which he readied the figure of 1 to 10.7 for the overall ratio of staff to students in 158W British universities; and what would be the figure reached by the method followed in recent years by the University Grants Committee.
§ Mr. BrookeThe figure arrived at by the method no longer used by the University Grants Committee would show a more favourable staff/student ratio than 1 to 10.7, but I do not think I should be justified in asking the University Grants Committee to calculate a figure by a method which they no longer think reflects the true position. I could not attempt within the limits of a Parliamentary Answer to describe the detailed statistical method adopted by the University Grants Committee in advising my right hon. and learned Friend on this matter, but I understand that full details will be set out in their next Annual Report.