asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the maximum of the university lecturer grade represents as a proportion of average earnings in this country; if he will list the salaries of the equivalent level in universities in the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, Canada, France, the Netherlands and Australia; and what these represent as a proportion of average earnings in those countries.

The maximum of the lecturer grade in universities in Great Britain stands at £14,925 with effect from 1 April 1984 which represents 1·8 times the average annual earnings at that date. Information on university lecturers salaries in the other countries mentioned is not available.