THE universities of Newcastle and Sunderland refused to answer questions on their vice-chancellors’ spending on flights, hotels and expense claims, according to the University and College Union (UCU).

A report, covering 155 UK universities showed university bosses are spending as much as £60,000 a year on air fares and enjoying first class and business class flights.

A number of heads of institutions also incurred hefty hotel bills, with one vice-chancellor spending just over £27,000 for the year. Annual expense claims ran to £33,000.

Newcastle and Sunderland were among the 24 institutions which refused to provide spending details.

UCU said its report exposes how UK universities adopt varying levels of transparency around vice-chancellors’ pay and perks.

The union also requested a copy of the most recently ratified minutes of the remuneration committee, which determines vice-chancellor’s pay.

Newcastle, Northumbria and Teesside all refused to provide the information. Durham and Sunderland provided a copy of the minutes but redacted them to obscure key information.

A spokesman for Newcastle University said: "Information about expenses and travel is freely available on our website and we direct FOI queries to our site wherever we can so we can save staff time and ultimately cost.”

A spokesman for Sunderland University said: “At the time of the FOI request the university’s accounts were going through audit committee, therefore we were unable to give UCU the relevant information. We asked UCU to come back at a later date, which they did not do.

“The vice-chancellor’s salary and expenses are published every year.”

A spokesman for Northumbria University said: “Minutes taken from Northumbria University’s remuneration committee meetings contain personal identifiable information relating to employees of the university. Individuals have a legitimate expectation that such personal information would not be disclosed to the public.”