HC Deb 12 December 1989 vol 163 cc554-5W
Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local schemes of flexible pay equal to 1 per cent. of the salary bill, resulting from the latest pay settlement for non-clinical academic and academic-related staff in the universities have been approved for funding by the Universities Funding Council; how many have been rejected, and for what reasons; and how many such schemes which have so far been approved have included(a) specific elements for improved recruitment and (b) earmarked money for specific academic departments.

Mr. MacGregor

I understand that, as at 5 December, the council had approved 39 schemes. At that date, the council had not yet approved six other schemes: five because insufficient detail was available and one because too high a proportion of the institution's professors would have received payments. Eleven of the approved schemes included specific elements for improved recruitment. The earmarking of money for specific departments does not have to be notified to the council.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list (1) the proportion of the total money so far approved for local schemes of flexible pay equal to 1 per cent. of the salary total to be spent on(a) promotion of staff to a higher scale, (b) accelerating individuals up their scale, and (c) moving individuals to discretionary salary points beyond the normal scale maximum, and (2) the proportion of the total money so far approved for such schemes which is to be spent on (i) professional staff, (ii) senior lecturers and readers, (iii) lecturers, (iv) others, and (v) women staff.

Mr. MacGregor

I understand from the Universities Funding Council that, because of the way in which some universities have submitted details of their schemes, the information is not available in the form requested. Of the total to be spent, the division is as follows:

  • 29 per cent. is for increases in professors' salaries;
  • 33 per cent. is for moving senior lecturers, readers and 555 lecturers to discretionary salary points beyond the normal scale maxima;
  • 14 per cent. is for accelerating senior lecturers, readers and lecturers up their scales;
  • 4 per cent. is for promotions of academic staff;
  • 14 per cent. is for discretionary scale points or accelerated increments for academic-related staff;
  • 1 per cent. is for promotion of academic-related staff;
  • 5 per cent. is for other purposes such as recruitment incentives.

Data are not collected separately for male and female staff.