§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list 628W the fields of clinical medicine in which there are medical chairs, stating the number of chairs in each field.
§ Mr. PrenticeFull, accurate information is not readily available. I am sending my hon. Friend the relevant information I have.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the information on the number of university medical chairs in 1971–72 is not available as shown in his answer of 10th December 1974 (OFFICIAL REPORT, columns 117–118).
§ Mr. PrenticeNot all universities provided a breakdown of staff numbers by disciplines for that year because of a change in the system of data collection. Efforts are still being made to collect the information.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has with the University Grants Committee before it informs universities in which subjects it wishes to encourage the establishment of new medical chairs.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe establishment of new chairs is a matter for the universities. The UGC does not normally give them guidance in this, nor would I expect to be consulted by the UGC about any such guidance it might exceptionally wish to offer.