§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration the Government have given to the level of funding for the universities in the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Brooke[pursuant to his reply, 22 November 1983, c.58]: The following figures of recurrent grant are given in financial years as the grant for the academic year 1986–87 depends partly on the next public expenditure survey:
£ million 1984–85 1,249 1985–86 1,289 1986–87 1,320 The academic year grant for 1984–85 will be £1,265 million as my right hon. Friend announced on 17 November in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson).
The figures reflect in particular the view taken by the Government in this survey that universities must expect to operate with a high degree of economy and efficiency. The figures for the last two years will be subject to review in the normal way in the 1984 survey.