§ Q14. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and Industry relating to the recruitment and training of engineers and technologists, in view of industry's needs and the present vacancies on engineering and technology courses in higher education.
The Prune MinisterMy right hon. Friends have emphasised the importance they attach to meeting the needs of industry for engineers, and are working closely together on this matter.
§ Q31. Mr. David Priceasked the Prime Minister if he will publish in the Official Report the statistical data upon which he came to the conclusion in his Oxford 313W speech of 18th October that there were currently 30,000 vacancies for students in science and engineering in universities and polytechnics.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the text of my speech made clear, I was not referring to the current year. The estimate for the present academic year, 1976–77, is 27,000 empty places in science and technology, excluding medicine. The basis of this estimate is the physical capacity of academic departments in universities in Great Britain and polytechnics in England and Wales.