Universities (Expenditure) (Hansard, 31 July 1981)

§ Mr. Whitehead
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the total current 550W and capital expenditure on universities in the United Kingdom as a proportion of (a) gross domestic product, (b) total public expenditure and (c) public expenditure on education in 1960–61, 1965–66, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80, respectively.

§ Dr. Boyson
The information which is available is as follows:

(a)
Per cent.
(b)
Per cent.
(c)
Per cent.

1964–65 0.5 1.6 11.7

1970–71 0.6 1.6 12.0

1975–76 0.6 1.4 9.8

1976–77 0.6 1.4 10.1

1977–78 0.5 1.4 9.8

1978–79 0.5 1.3 10.0

^*1979–80 0.6 1.3 10.5

^* Provisional

The information for 1960–61 and 1965–66 is not readily available.

§ Mr. Whitehead
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has issued any advice to the University Grants Committee concerning the effects of reduced grants to universities in future years; and, if so, if he will outline the extent of such advice.

§ Dr. Boyson
The Government's Expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84 (Cmnd. 8175) indicate the planned level of resources for higher education for that period. Decisions have yet to be taken about the division of resources within higher education for the years after 1981–82, which is under discussion with the University Grants Committee and the local authority associations, but my right hon. and learned Friend advised the University Grants Committee that, in making its allocation of recurrent grant for 1981–82, it should plan on the basis of an 8½ per cent. reduction in grant for home students by 1983–84 compared with the level planned in Cmnd. 7841.

§ Mr. Whitehead
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the total reduction in Government recurrent funding to universities planned for the next three years.
551W

§ Dr. Boyson
The Government's expenditure plans 1981–82 to 1983–84 (Cmnd. 8175) provide for a reduction in institutional recurrent expenditure—net of tuition fee income—on higher education as a whole from £1,162 million in 1980–81 to £990 million in 1983–84—at 1980 survey prices. No decisions have yet been taken about the allocation of resources within higher education after 1981–82.

§ Mr. Whitehead
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish his Department's best estimate of the potential cost in redundancy payments to (a) academic staff and (b) non-academic staff of reductions implied by reductions in the recurrent grants paid to universities in each of the next three years.

§ Dr. Boyson
Until a clearer picture emerges of what reductions in university staff are likely, it is not possible to estimate what they will cost.

(a) (b) (c)

Financial year Expenditure on the UGC
£
Grants through the UGC
£ million
(a) as a percentage of (b)

1960–61 73,412 66.77 0.11

1965–66 211,872 192.26 0.11

1970–71 339,214 287.73 0.12

1975–76 684,207 595.25 0.12

1976–77 738,543 674.38 0.11

1977–78 777,751 605.81 0.13

1978–79 799,476 672.08 0.12

1979–80 923,630 816.26 0.11

	(a) Per cent.	(b) Per cent.	(c) Per cent.
1964–65	0.5	1.6	11.7
1970–71	0.6	1.6	12.0
1975–76	0.6	1.4	9.8
1976–77	0.6	1.4	10.1
1977–78	0.5	1.4	9.8
1978–79	0.5	1.3	10.0
^*1979–80	0.6	1.3	10.5
^* Provisional

	(a)	(b)	(c)
Financial year	Expenditure on the UGC £	Grants through the UGC £ million	(a) as a percentage of (b)
1960–61	73,412	66.77	0.11
1965–66	211,872	192.26	0.11
1970–71	339,214	287.73	0.12
1975–76	684,207	595.25	0.12
1976–77	738,543	674.38	0.11
1977–78	777,751	605.81	0.13
1978–79	799,476	672.08	0.12
1979–80	923,630	816.26	0.11