THE University of York has defended its vice-chancellor from criticism in a TV documentary to be screened tonight.

The Dispatches programe, to be shown on Channel 4 at 8pm and entitled Cashing In On Degrees, will claim Prof Brian Cantor gets his administration office to field calls from people hiring his £1,100 per week holiday home in Chamonix, France.

It will say the university’s contact details are on the letting agent’s website for people wanting to book the holiday home.

But a university spokesman said: “Professor Cantor took the entirely reasonable course of giving his home address and work telephone number to the letting agent responsible for his French property for use in emergencies. He was unaware his contact details were on the letting agent’s website.

“The vice-chancellor’s office does not deal with any business relating to this property. In fact, the only calls the vice-chancellor’s office has received about it were from the makers of Channel 4 Dispatches.”

Prof Cantor is also being criticised for claiming £10,000 for chauffeur-driven cars in the past year, as the university faces a £1.5 million cut in its funding from Government.

The spokesman said Prof Cantor used the mode of transport that was most operationally efficient, and hiring chauffeur driven cars was cheaper than buying a car and employing a driver to be available to drive him around.