§ Q5. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to St. Andrews.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
§ Mr. DalyellIn visiting universities what message of hope can the Prime Minister give to those who are about to graduate and who see that the number of scientists and engineers taken up by big industry in this country has fallen by about 54 per cent. between 1970 and 1971?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not accept the hon. Gentleman's figures. I have given an undertaking to the Leader of the Opposition that I will let him have the figures for the industrial employment of recent graduates, in particular science and engineering graduates. These figures are being prepared, and of course I will let the hon. Gentleman have them as soon as they are available. The best message of hope which one can give to the universities is to show them the expansion in the economy which is to be brought about, first of all by the Budget measures and secondly by entry into Europe.
§ Sir J. GilmourWould my right hon. Friend not accept that my constituents at St. Andrews would be delighted to see him, particularly on 30th November this year? Does he not agree that the opportunities which come particularly to the East Coast of Scotland through the discovery of North Sea oil can, with coordination through St. Andrews University, do a great deal to help the economy of Scotland?
§ The Prime MinisterThis is perfectly true. Having been on the East Coast of Scotland over the last weekend, I found a very acute realisation of how great are these opportunities now.
§ Mr. Edward ShortIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the considerable drop in the graduate recruiting figures in big firms in 1971 compared with 1970? Is he further aware that with ICL there was a drop of 80 per cent? Is he also aware that in January last year 10 per cent. of new male graduates were unemployed compared with 5.4 per cent. in 239 December, 1970? What are the Government doing to ensure that these expensively educated young people are absorbed into industry or the public service?
§ The Prime MinisterAs I have told the House, these figures are being prepared. The right hon. Gentleman is not entitled to draw general conclusions either from big firms or from one particular firm about the employment of graduates. I would ask the right hon. Gentleman to wait until the full figures are produced and then we can draw the conclusions.
§ Sir Gilbert LongdenIf my right hon. Friend does visit St. Andrews, is he aware that he will be pleased by the unusually calm atmosphere and interested in the robust if controversial economic philosophy of the Conservative students there?
§ The Prime MinisterI had an opportunity of talking to those Conservative students about six weeks ago and I was greatly impressed.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonIs it not extraordinary that the right hon. Gentleman thought to ask for these figures only in May, 1972, as a result of questions by my hon. Friends, when he knew about the grave situation, as I said last week, when he received the degree at Bradford? Did he not immediately go away and ask for all the figures of graduate unemployment and recruiting? Did he have to wait until hon. Members raised this issue?
§ The Prime MinisterAt that time I accepted the figures which the Chancellor of the university produced. On going further into the figures, I found the contradictions which exist, and that is why I have asked the right hon. Gentleman and his colleagues to await the figures to be produced.