HC Deb 28 May 1962 vol 660 cc953-4
12. Mr. Ross

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what is the number of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research training awards current at the latest available date; and what proportion of these is current in Scotland.

Mr. Denzil Freeth

On 1st April, there were 2,648 D.S.I.R. training awards current of which a small number are held overseas. Of those held in Great Britain, 10.1 per cent. were held in Scotland.

Mr. Ross

What does the hon. Gentleman think is the reason for the paucity of such awards in respect of Scottish students? What is he doing to decrease the disparity in the figures shown by the difference between Scotland and England and Wales?

Mr. Freeth

In fact, 10.1 per cent. is exactly the proportion of the population of Scotland to that of the United Kingdom. It is not for me to comment upon importance or quality. I think that one of the reasons is that Scotland is better provided than England or Wales with trust funds and other scholarship funds. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that the D.S.I.R. is doing its best through visits by senior officials to universities to make certain that students in the universities know what the facilities are and are encouraged to apply for them.

Mr. Ross

Is it not unfair of the hon. Gentleman to take advantage of popula- tion statistics when much more relevant would be university statistics? Is not what we claim quite true, that very few of these awards have been given to Scotland in relation to the number of Scottish students?

Mr. Freeth

It is not a matter of Scotland being done down badly by the D.S.I.R., because in the number of awards made Scotland gets just as many as a proportion of applications as does the rest of the country. This really seems to depend upon—if the hon. Gentleman likes to put it in that way—too few applications from Scotland.

Mr. Mitchison

Is not the Goschen formula 12½ per cent.?

Mr. Freeth

I do not think that the remarks of Goschen are my responsibility.