§ Dr. Hampsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to make an announcement about the universities equipment and furniture grant for the academic year 1981–82.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleThe estimates for Class X—Education and Science, Libraries and Arts—Votes published on 10 March, which are subject to parliamentary approval in due course, include provision for equipment and furniture grant to the universities. This provision in the academic year 1981–82 is £76.7 million; this is a cash limit. In calculating this grant an allowance of about 11 per cent. has been made for price increases between 1980–81 and 1981–82. In real terms, this grant is maintained at about the same level as the previous year.
The academic year 1981–82 spans the financial years 1981–82 and 1982–83. For the financial year 1981–82 the Government's policy in respect of cash limits is set out in paragraph 9 of the Government's expenditure White Paper—Cmnd 8175. The assumptions for pay and price movements to be adopted for cash limits for the financial year 1982–83 will not be decided until later in 1981: if they are different from those set out above, consideration will be given to making appropriate adjustments to the universities' grants from 1 April 1982.