§ 1. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Technology what incentives are given to officers employed in the research establishments of his Department in the experimental officer, scientific assistant and technical classes, to acquire additional professional or scientific qualifications; and what steps are taken to ensure that they stay with his Department after so doing.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Richard Marsh)Financial assistance, time off and the recognition accorded to the qualifications. Sandwich course students are required to give an undertaking to remain in Government service for two years after conclusion of the course, but no similar undertaking is demanded of day-release students.
§ Mrs. ShortDoes my hon. Friend understand that this undertaking is not binding and that we are losing one in ten of the officers who go on these sandwich courses? Is he aware that the cost to the State of the completion of these courses is between £2,000 and £3,000? Does he not think, therefore, that there should be additional incentives by way of promotion when officers take these courses successfully?
§ Mr. MarshIn the first place one must realise that out of some 53 of these students only 13 have left. It is very difficult to know how to make them stay. They are not lost to the State as a whole. We need more of these people better qualified and there are great advantages to industry in general in having them. Finally—and I have argued this with my hon. Friend before—I do not accept that, having been given these very big sums of public money for their training, in addition these people are entitled to specially privileged treatment over and above that of other students in the same Department who have obtained their qualifications in a different way.