HC Deb 25 July 1968 vol 769 cc163-4W
Dr. Summerskill

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many suitably qualified girls applied for admission to medical schools, and how many of these obtained admission, in each of the last five years;

(2) how many suitably qualified boys applied for admission to medical schools, and how many of these obtained admission, in each of the last five years.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

The following information relates to entry to pre-clinical courses in medical schools in Great Britain:

(A) (B)
Numbers applying through Universities Central Council on Admissions (U.C.C.A.) Numbers admitted (including applicants outside the U.C.C.A. Scheme)
Boys Girls Boys Girls
1963–64 Not available 1,739 542
1964–65 3,475 1,358 1,871 536
1965–66 4,342 1,674 1,937 541
1966–67 4,667 1,607 1,933 569
1967–68 5,590* 1,771* 1,929† 615†
* Includes Queen's University, Belfast (separate Great Britain figures not available).
† Provisional.

The figures in column A are not comparable year by year because the number of institutions participating in the U.C.C.A. scheme has increased progressively; for 1967–68 the figures include applicants for admission to Queens University, Belfast, although Scottish candidates for certain Scottish universities are still outside the scheme. Statistics are not available for candidates applying out- side the U.C.C.A. Scheme. Columns (A) and (B) are therefore not directly comparable. It is not known how many of the candidates were suitably qualified, because the individual universities decide what qualifications are acceptable to them.