§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he considers that the present and projected numbers of science and engineering graduates from universities and institutions of higher education in England and Wales is sufficient to meet the needs of industrial regeneration; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MulleyDespite a fall in the size of the relevant age groups, the flow of science and technology graduates from institutions of higher education has more than doubled in the last 10 years and is likely to continue at about the present level for the next two or three years. If the upward trend indicated by the encouraging provisional figures for entry to higher education in 1975 is maintained, the flow will increase again towards the end of this decade. I hope that science and technology faculties will attract a good proportion of the most able students.
About one-third of new science-based graduates go direct into industry and commerce. The proportion has tended to rise in recent years and industry's share of all new graduates with first class honours degrees has also increased. Except perhaps in some specialist occupations, there are no indications that shortages of science and technology graduates will hold back to any significant extent the process of industrial regeneration over the next two or three years. Because of their age structure the total stock available for employment is increasing rapidly.