§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many academic staff in universities, polytechnics and higher education colleges have been (a) made redundant or (b) taken early retirement, since 1979; and what these figures represent as a percentage of the total academic staff for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. BrookeThe number of academic staff in British universities made redundant or taking early retirement since the scheme started in 1981–82 is 3,317. This represents 7.7 per cent. of the 1979–80 staff, 7.5 per cent. of the 1980–81 staff, 7.6 per cent. of the 1981–82 staff, 7.7 per cent. of the 1982–83 staff and 7.7 per cent. of the 1983–84 staff.
Since 1979 the number of polytechnic teachers in England and Wales who had applied under the premature retirement scheme was 1,784. If this is expressed as a percentage of the full-time staff in each financial year from 1978–79 to 1983–84, the percentages are 10.6 per cent., 10.5 per cent., 10.6 per cent., 11–0 per cent., 11.2 per cent., and 11.5 per cent. respectively.
Redundancies and early retirements for staff in other colleges engaged in higher education cannot be separated from all other further education staff.