§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the average amount, per person, paid out by universities to buy out academic staff; and how that compares with University Grants Committee guidelines;
(2) what was the total amount paid out by universities to buy out academic staff; and how that figure compares with forecast.
§ Mr. BrookeThe total amount paid by universities and reimbursed by the University Grants Committee in redundancy and premature retirement costs for academic staff totalled £93 million up to the end of January 1985. The average amount paid per person was £28,276. Both these figures exclude rebate paid by the Department of Employment under the statutory redundancy payments scheme. Expenditure has been reimbursed by the committee only where it was certified as being in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Government and the UGC. The costs are broadly in line with those originally forecast by the UGC. In addition to these costs the cost of actuarial strain on the universities' superannuation scheme is being met by additional employers' contributions to the scheme.