HC Deb 13 June 1984 vol 61 cc486-7W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate the total aid or grants available to the Open University by the state and the percentage of the total generated by the university for services performed over the most recent period of five years.

Mr. Brooke

[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1984, c. 7]: The information requested is set out in the following table.

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
£000 Per cent. £000 Per cent. £000 Per cent. £000 Per cent. £000 Per cent.
Total DES Grant 34,271 83 45,314 83 50,091 81 53,642 79 55,366 77
Total Income 41,522 100 54,553 100 61,908 100 68,135 100 72,334 100

Notes:

* Part of the income quoted for student fees has come from public funds through discretionary grants from local authorities, the university's financial assistance fund, and the university's unemployed students' fund. In addition, public bodies frequently subsidise their employees who follow Open University courses. It is not possible to quantify such assistance.

† A substantial proportion of the grants for research and continuing education come from public bodies. In 1983 this proportion was approximately 80 per cent. of the income quoted for these activities.