§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of a recent communication by the University Grants Committee to certain universities suggesting that they should withdraw their degree courses in agriculture, whether they will state how many degree courses in agriculture they wish to see maintained in the universities of this country, and what is their policy with regard to advanced level teaching in agriculture.]
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, first degree courses in agricultural subjects are provided at seven universities in England, at the University of Wales, in Aberystwyth and Bangor, at three universities in Scotland and at Queen's University, Belfast—a total of 13 university institutions. In the academic year 1965–66 there were 2,471 undergraduate students of agriculture (including forestry) and 562 post-graduates; and I understand that there is no intention of reducing these total numbers. In the light of the Bosanquet Report on the Demand for Agricultural Graduates and of their own investigation, the University Grants Committee have suggested that rationalisation of university provision for agriculture would lead to fewer but stronger schools, with benefit both to the education of students and to research. It is the policy of the Government to regard matters of this kind as coming within the province of the University Grants Committee.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, may I thank the noble 516 Baroness for her informative Answer to my Question? I thank her for reassuring me about the general numbers of graduates from agricultural departments, but may I ask her whether there is truth in the rumour that approaches by the U.G.C. have in fact been made to the Universities of Leeds, Glasgow and Cambridge? May I further ask the noble Baroness whether she is aware that especially Leeds and Cambridge have agricultural departments of outstanding value? In view of the need for greater technological skills in agriculture, would the noble Baroness please have a further look at this to see whether it would not be wiser to expand the existing courses rather than to contract them in order to enlarge others? Would it not be better to expand them all? Is there not scope for that?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his supplementary questions. I will certainly obtain replies for him. Obviously I have no specific figures before me now which will either confirm or deny the first of his supplementary questions, but he will know, I am sure, that the factors taken into account in making decisions of this kind really lie within the province of the University Grants Committee. However, I shall certainly follow this up and let the noble Lord have further information on the questions he has raised.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her further reply, but may I ask her whether, in the further considerations that are given to this matter, she would ask that the University Grants Committee should consult some of the leaders of the agricultural industry as well as of the educational world, in order to make sure that we get the right result?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I will certainly do that, bearing in mind, as the noble Lord has put it, that of course it will have to be a request rather than a directive.
§ LORD PEDDIEMy Lords, could my noble friend give any indication as to the number of overseas students attending degree courses in agriculture in this country?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I have not that figure available at the moment, but I shall be happy to let my noble friend have it.