HC Deb 26 October 1988 vol 139 cc211-3W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's review of student union membership.

Mr. Jackson

As foreshadowed in my reply of 28 July to my hon. Friend at column405, a questionnaire was issued to 70 institutions on 29 July. Questionnaires are due for return by 31 October.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations his Department has received concerning membership of student unions; how many supported abolition of automatic membership; how many were opposed; and what percentage the latter is of the former.

Mr. Jackson

Since the end of July we have received seven letters from hon. Members and members of the public about membership of local unions and a further two letters which touched on membership of the National Union of Students. Of the former two (29 per cent.) supported and five (71 per cent.) opposed automatic membership while of the latter one (50 per cent.) supported and one (50 per cent.) opposed current arrangements for NUS membership.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last discussed membership of student unions with the National Union of Students; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

My right hon. Friend has not discussed the matter recently with the NUS but I did so on 29 February.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish in theOfficial Report a list of individuals and organisations who gave oral evidence to his review of membership of student unions; and if he will make a statement;

(2) how many student unions submitted (a) oral evidence and (b) written evidence to his Department's review on student unions; and if he will make a statement;

(3) if he will place in the Library the evidence submitted to his Department's review on student unions if the author consents to it; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

We have received a small number of contributions from individuals and one non-union organisation which may be regarded as prompted by the invitation to submit views made by my right hon. Friend in his reply of 18 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman). I can see no reason to distinguish these from the more general representations which we continue to receive and which, in my reply of 10 June to my hon. Friend (c. 690–91), I said I did not consider it appropriate to make public.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the results of his review on student unions will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

We shall analyse responses to the questionnaire issued on 29 July when these are received. Thereafter, as indicated by my right hon. Friend in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman) on 18 April at column292, we shall reach conclusions on the best action to take and consult all concerned about those conclusions. I cannot at present predict how long this will take.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department has provided to members of the public about his review of student unions; how many members of the public have requested information about his proposed review of student unions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

My Department issued press notices when we announced our intention to conduct a survey on 18 April and when the questionnaire was sent to institutions on 29 July. In addition to inquiries from a small number of individuals who have subsequently submitted views, we have received four letters requesting information about our survey.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many petitions his Department has received from individuals and organisations concerning membership of student unions; how many supported abolition of automatic membership and how many were opposed; and what percentage the latter is of the former.

Mr. Jackson

No petitions have been submitted but since the general election we have received four letters written on behalf of a group. Of those one (25 per cent.) was opposed to and three (75 per cent.) supported the current arrangements for NUS membership.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to send a copy of his Department's questionnaire on student membership to the National Secretary of the National Union of Students; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

A copy was sent to the National Union of Students on 29 July when it was issued.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations his Department has received suggesting(a) increasing and (b) limiting the amount paid to the National Union of Students; what proportional relationship the latter bears to the former; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

This information is not readily available.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's estimate of the current total student membership of the National Union of Students, and in each of the last five years.

Mr. Jackson

The NUS is a confederation of affiliated local student unions. Members of local unions are not directly members of the NUS.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) why he considers it inappropriate to list those organisations which have made representations to his Department concerning his review of student unions; and if he will make a statement;

(2) why he considers it inappropriate to place in the Library details of representations he has received concerning automatic membership of student unions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

I consider it inappropriate because the correspondence was not submitted in the expectation that it would be made public.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assistance he has requested from outside bodies during his Department's review of student unions; if he will list those concerned and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

Before issuing the questionnaire on 29 July my right hon. Friend arranged for it to be shown to the Chairmen of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and of the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has held with institutions of higher and further education concerning automatic student union membership and his Department's review of student unions; which institutions expressed support for abolition of automatic membership of student unions; which were opposed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

My right hon. Friend has held no such discussions with institutions.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many institutions of higher and further education have expressed their(a) support of or (b) opposition to automatic membership of student unions, expressing the latter as a proportion of the former.

Mr. Jackson

None.