§ 10. Mr. KeenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the introduction of national planning targets for the recruitment and retention of academic staff in higher education.
§ Mr. BoswellNone, Madam Speaker. The staffing requirements of universities are a matter for individual institutions.
§ Mr. KeenIs the Minister aware that a demographic time bomb is ticking away in higher education—for instance, in the subject of chemistry, more than 25 per cent. of the staff are more than 55 years old? Should not the Government plan, as the French are doing, to make sure that in future there are sufficient staff in higher education?
§ Mr. BoswellIt is nice to know that there are still some people on the Opposition Benches who believe in indicative planning, but the Government do not. We are certainly aware of the age profile of the academic work force and, indeed, some of the problems in individual departments. We shall continue to keep an eye on the situation. But, first, grown-up universities and colleges must determine their own academic staffing profiles and, secondly, we now have a larger range of students than ever before from which to choose potential recruits for the academic world.
§ Mr. HawkinsWill my hon. Friend confirm that we have virtually achieved our manifesto commitment of one in three young people in higher education—whereas in 1979 under the Labour party the figure was only one in eight—and that expenditure on higher education is due to rise in real terms over the next two years?
§ Mr. BoswellI can readily confirm that. We have hit our target in almost two years when we had allowed ourselves nine years in which to do it. Student numbers are at record levels.