§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report references to current studies on information concerning the utilisation and wastage of scientific manpower outside industry and Government policy in this sphere; and if he is satisfied with current practice.
§ Mr. MulleyMy Department works closely with other interested Departments in studying questions relating to scientific manpower, but on its utilisation and wastage my responsibility lies in the fields of research and teaching. Government policy in these fields is to secure an adequate supply of scientists but, except for those scientist members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate and small numbers in some museums, I am not directly responsible for the employment of scientists as such. The efficient management of scientific manpower in teaching and research is primarily a matter for the local education authorities, the universities and the research councils.
There is a large number of studies of varying degrees of relevance in this field. I will write to my hon. Friend to draw his attention to some of them.