§ Mr. Wainwrightasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if will give the number of post-graduates who continue their studies on a Department of Scientific and Industrial Research scholarship and do not make a contribution under the National Insurance Fund.
§ Mrs. ThatcherI am told by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science that there were 4,036 D.S.I.R. post-graduate students at the beginning of the present university session. It is not known how many of them are paying National Insurance contributions. In general such students are not obliged to contribute to the National Insurance scheme, but they may do so if they want to.