HC Deb 07 July 1975 vol 895 cc70-1W
Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give such figures as he has available of the number of graduates leaving universities in the United Kingdom and entering employment during each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what proportion was recorded as entering industrial, educational and public administration employment.

Mr. Mulley

The following figures relate to home and overseas students who obtained first degrees from universities in the United Kingdom and who were known to have gained permanent employment in the United Kingdom between graduation and 31st December of the same year. Of some 32,500 graduating in 1973–74 and not known to have gained permanent employment in the United Kingdom the destination of 6,100 was unknown, 17,600 were undertaking further education or training and the remainder comprised smaller groups including those going overseas, and those in temporary employment or unemployed at the time when they were last contacted.

Particulars for students of medicine, dentistry and veterinary science are not included, but are published for 1971–72 and 1972–73 in the University Grants Committee's annual volumes "First Destination of University Graduates ", which also give information covering Great Britain only for the years before

Gained permanent home (U.K.) employment
Year Industry Commerce Education Public Service (including HM. Forces) All others Total Total graduating
1968–69
Number … … 9,129 2,524 1,775 2,703 1,578 17,709 46,043
Percentage … … 51.6 14.3 10.0 15.3 8.9 100.0
1969–70
Number … … 8,804 2,615 1,781 3,221 1,538 17,959 48,683
Percentage … … 49.0 14.6 9.9 17.9 8.6 100.0
1970–71
Number … … 6,747 2,915 2,016 3,958 1,414 17,050 50,551
Percentage … … 39.6 17.1 11.8 23.2 8.3 100.0
1971–72
Number … … 6,637 3,493 1,653 4,194 1,640 17,617 51,930
Percentage … … 37.7 19.8 9.4 23.8 9.3 100.0
1972–73
Number … … 8,091 3,918 1,474 4,187 1,890 19,560 52,848
Percentage … … 41.4 20.0 7.5 21.4 9.7 100.0
1973–74*
Number … … 8,549 3,865 1,527 5,107 1,978 21,026 53,555
Percentage … … 40.7 18.4 7.3 24.3 9.4 100.0
* Provisional figures.