Gordon Prentice has backed a big pay increase for university and college lecturers.

The Labour MP wants a third of extra future income from top-up and tuition fees and other sources used to increase staff salaries.

He is one of 19 MPs to sign a Commons motion urging vice chancellors to settle a pay dispute with higher education unions.

Mr Prentice said that since 1976 the average number of students taught by a lecturer had risen by 150 per cent from nine to 21.