HC Deb 30 July 1963 vol 682 cc220-1
23. Mr. Boyden

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science, in view of the importance of the expansion of universities and colleges of advanced technology and of the need to increase the number of post-graduate students, if he will increase the amount and number of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research awards.

Mr. Denzil Freeth

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research expects to award up to 2,010 postgraduate studentships this year, an increase of 24 per cent. on the number awarded in 1962. A year ago the values of these awards were increased by an average of 23 per cent.

Mr. Boyden

Has the Parliamentary Secretary's Department studied the relationship between the number of postgraduate students and the demands for university staff, and is he now satisfied that this increase will in future produce enough staff for the universities?

Mr. Freeth

What we want to do is to have enough applications of first-class calibre. We must wait to see in the remainder of 1963 whether or not the number of first-class applications exceeds the number of awards which it is proposed to offer.

Mr. Boyden

Is the hon. Gentleman saying that there are not enough good candidates to make awards to, that in fact there is a dearth of applicants? Is this the situation?

Mr. Freeth

No. I merely said that we could not know the position of 1963 till 1963 was over.