HC Deb 18 July 1961 vol 644 cc1042-3
11. Mr. Stones

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the annual output of graduate scientists in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Denzil Freeth

The annual output of qualified scientists, which was under 5,000 in 1956, will be approximately 6,900 in the present academic year. In the same period the annual output of qualified technologists has grown from 6,200 to over 9,600.

Mr. Stones

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in 1958, the last year for which I have figures, there was an output of 96,509 graduates in scientific and technical faculties in the United States and that in the same year in the U.S.S.R. there were 114,600 graduates in the same subjects, whilst in Brit tin in 1957 there were only 10,879 graduates? I understand from information provided by H.M. Stationery Office that the present aim of Her Majesty's Government is to increase the annual output from 10,000 to 20,000 in the next ten to fifteen years. [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."] Is the hon. Gentleman aware that even if this aim is achieved we shall be still seriously lagging behind the two Powers mentioned? Will not he urge upon his noble Friend the need for co-ordination of all the powers available to make up this leeway?

Mr. Freeth

I think that the hon. Member in his speech—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—slightly tended to compare like with unlike. It is not always fair to make a comparison with the United States and U.S.S.R., because standards differ. I would remind the hon. Member that the Statistics Committee of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy is presenting a report—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—that is what I am meant to make—is presenting a report in the fairly near future estimating the output of graduate scientists over the next ten years, and the needs of the nation.