§ 6. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the number of graduates from universities in Scotland in 1971, or the latest available date, in science and technologies associated with the petroleum industry.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThe following are the numbers of graduates from universities in Scotland in 1971 with first degrees or higher degrees in science and technologies most associated with the petroleum industry: chemistry 389; physics 206; mathematics 295; chemical engineering 74; and mechanical engineering 333.
§ Mr. DouglasI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for those statistics, but will he take steps to increase the facilities available in Scottish universities for studies in this sector? Will he endeavour to give the University of Aberdeen in particular all possible assistance to pursue research studies into the impact of North Sea oil on the Scottish economy?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThe hon. Gentleman will know as well as or better than I do that the allocation of resources by the University of Aberdeen or any other is a matter for the university itself and it would not take kindly if I were to interfere. But it is relevant to tell the hon. Gentleman in view of his interest that I understand from the figures supplied by the University Grants Committee that 10 graduates in science and 11 in engineering from universities in Scotland entered the oil industry in 1972 as first employment. So there is clearly a link there.