THE University of Chester has been named as one of the UK’s least transparent universities after it failed to respond to a request for information about bosses’ salaries and perks.

The University and College Union (UCU) used a Freedom of Information request to ask UK universities about bosses’ salaries, how much was spent on flights, hotel accommodation, income from properties owned and the amount spent on consultants.

Chester, which has a campus in Padgate, was just one of 18 universities out of 159 that did not provide any information.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “The full extent of universities’ spending on pay and perks for their bosses may make uncomfortable reading for some, but that does not give them the right to escape scrutiny.”

The University of Chester claimed that senior staff salaries are available online but Dan Ashley, a spokesman for UCU, said that information about flight and hotel expenses were not included.

He said: “It is completely unacceptable.

“I am not saying they have anything to hide but I am sure people will come to that conclusion now.”

With recent scandals over senior university staff salaries and bizarre expenses claims, the UCU claims that universities need to respond to information requests now more than ever.

Eighteen university leaders enjoyed salary increases of more than 10 per cent last year and the average pay, including benefits and pensions, was £260,290.

However, the Government is deciding if universities should be exempt from Freedom of Information laws altogether.

Mr Ashley said: “If anything we need to strengthen the legislation - students are paying more than ever for their degrees.”

A spokesman for the university said: “The university has been consistently open in respect of any enquiries it has received via the Freedom of Information Act relating to senior staff salaries, and as such the Universities and Colleges Union allegation was something of a surprise and a concern.

“As previously stated the university includes senior staff salaries on pages 27-28 of its annual financial statements for the year ended July 31.

“These are freely available on the Charities Commission website gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission.

"Any senior management expenses are extremely modest and similarly any request made for information about them would have been handled according to the FOI Act.”

Other universities in the north west refusing to provide the UCU with information include the University of Bolton, Edge Hill University and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.