HC Deb 11 June 1969 vol 784 cc1434-5
9 and 34. Mr. Eadie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many full-time students of electronics there are in Scottish institutions taking graduate courses at the latest available date;

(2) what is the average annual output of graduates specialising in electronics from Scottish institutions over the last three years.

Mr. Millan

It is not possible to give separate figures for electronics alone, but in the academic year 1967/68 904 students at universities and central institutions in Scotland were taking first degree and diploma courses in electrical engineering, including electronics. The average annual output from these courses in the three years 1965/66–1967/68 was 197.

Mr. Eadie

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he able to tell me any firm in Scotland or in the United Kingdom which employs 2,000 graduates in the electronics industry? If this is even remotely possible, would not my hon. Friend agree that this would obviously restrict the spread of the electronics industry in the country?

Mr. Millan

I am not aware of any electronics firm in Scotland which employs anything like that number of graduates, and I would be surprised if there were such a firm south of the Border cither.