§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the future university building programme.
§ Mr. CroslandYes. It is important, particularly with the approach of the next university quinquennium to give the universities a firm basis for planning as far ahead as possible and I am authorising the following programme (in terms of existing cost figures):
Value of building work to be started 1966–67 … … … £40 million 1967–68 … … … £30 million 1968–69 … … … £25 million 1969–70 … … … £25 million I hope it will be possible in future to make this a rolling programme.
This programme means that there will be a higher level of building starts in 1966–67 and 1967–68 than is at present sanctioned for these two years. A further year has also been added to the programme.
This new programme takes account of the deferment from the current year of some £15 million of starts following the measures which the Government took last July to strengthen the economy. The full co-operation of all concerned and the existence of this firm basis for forward planning will, I am sure, enable us by steady progress to reach our objective.