Education Welfare Officers' Conference (Hansard, 5 April 1977)

§ Mr. Gwilym Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she plans to visit the Education Welfare Officers' conference at Sheffield on 15th April; and if she will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Shirley Williams
I was very glad to be able to accept an invitation from the Education Welfare Officers' National Association to address its conference at Sheffield, and I look forward to meeting the members of the association there.

§ Dr. Hampson
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a table to demonstrate the rates of growth in the public and university sector of students studying for first degrees, for HNDs, for HNCs and for other advanced courses over the period 1965 to 1975, indicating the relative proportions studying technological courses, other science courses, social science, and arts courses.

§ Mr. Oakes
Following are the numbers of full-time and part-time students on such courses in 1965–66 and in 1975–76. The corresponding figures for the intervening years may be obtained from published volumes of "Statistics of Education" copies of which are available in the Library.
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Universities in Great Britain Grant aided major establishments of further education in England and Wales, excluding former colleges of education

Subject of course First degree^* First degree HND HNC Other advanced courses Total advanced courses

1965–66

Engineering and Technology:

Number … … … … … 26,124 5,571 6,806 42,509 20,540 75,426

Percentage … … … … … 19 33 71 83 28 50

Other science including medicine:

Number … … … … … 53,746 4,492 458 4,885 9,916 19,751

Percentage … … … … … 38 26 5 10 14 13

Social Science:‡

Number … … … … … 30,812 5,245 2,377 3,495 31,063 42,180

Percentage … … … … … 22 31 25 7 43 28

Arts, including Language:

Number … … … … … 29,497 1,666 — — 10,692 12,358

Percentage … … … … … 21 10 — — 15 8

Total … … … … … 140,179 16,974 9,641 50,889 72,211 149,715

Percentage … … … … … 100 100 100 100 100 100

1975–76

Engineering and Technology:

Number … … … … … 29,428 13,361 7,086 19,417 20,105 59,969

Percentage … … … … … 14 20 36 54 16 24

Other science including Medicine:

Number … … … … … 77,447 11,263 3,885 8,086 14,391 37,625

Percentage … … … … … 37 17 20 23 11 15

Social Science:‡

Number … … … … … 52,625 26,255 8,880 8,238 73,985 117,358

Percentage … … … … … 25 39 45 23 58 47

Arts, including Language:

Number … … … … … 48,563 15,684‡ — — 19,053 34,737

Percentage … … … … … 23 24 — — 15 14

Total … … … … … 208,065 66,563 19,851 35,741 127,534 249,689

Percentage … … … … … 100 100 100 100 100 100

^* For 1965–66 the figures relate to all full-time and sandwich students at undergraduate level. 4,750 of these students were not studying for a first degree. In addition there were 2,839 part-time students in 1965–66 and 2,118 in 1975–76.

† Includes architecture, planning and other vocational studies.

‡ Includes the former diploma in art and design with 10,345 students.

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§ Dr. Hampson
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a table to show the proportions entering degree courses in engineering, science, social and business studies, arts and medicine with two As and with three Cs at GCE A level.

§ Mr. Oakes
The precise information requested is not available, but the following table gives some indication of the GCE A level qualifications at entry

Entrants with 3 or more A-levels Estimated total number of entrants with 2 A-levels

Percentage in score groups^* Estimated total number

Courses 15–13 12–9 8–3 Total

Engineering and technology … 20 34 46 100 6,500 1,900

Other Science … 25 35 40 100 13,900 4,000

Social Science† … 15 43 42 100 17,300 6,600

Arts, including languages … 29 46 25 100 12,800 3,300

Medicine … 37 42 21 100 5,000 300

^* The method of scoring A-level grades is described in the UCCA Statistical Supplement to the 13th Report 1974–75, p. 13. Briefly, scores are derived from grade A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1.

† Includes architecture, planning and other vocational studies.

§ Dr. Hampson
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications have currently been made for degree courses in the various areas of engineering and technology, mathematics, physics and chemistry; and what relationship these bear to applications in 1976.

Subject At 15th February 1977 At 15th February 1976 Final count 1976

Engineering and technology … … … 22,654 20,087 20,848

Mathematics … … … 4,860 4,568 4,693

Physics … … … 2,331 2,232 2,267

Chemistry … … … 2,471 2,264 2,317

Details of the number of applicants for degree courses in further education establishments are not available centrally.

§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many universities and polytechnics in England and Wales are at present wholly or partly illegally occupied by students.

§ Mr. Oakes
My Department does not collect this information; student discipline is a matter for the institutions themselves.

	Universities in Great Britain	Grant aided major establishments of further education in England and Wales, excluding former colleges of education
Subject of course	First degree^*	First degree	HND	HNC	Other advanced courses	Total advanced courses
1965–66
Engineering and Technology:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	26,124	5,571	6,806	42,509	20,540	75,426
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	19	33	71	83	28	50
Other science including medicine:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	53,746	4,492	458	4,885	9,916	19,751
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	38	26	5	10	14	13
Social Science:‡
Number	…	…	…	…	…	30,812	5,245	2,377	3,495	31,063	42,180
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	22	31	25	7	43	28
Arts, including Language:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	29,497	1,666	—	—	10,692	12,358
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	21	10	—	—	15	8
Total	…	…	…	…	…	140,179	16,974	9,641	50,889	72,211	149,715
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	100	100	100	100	100	100
1975–76
Engineering and Technology:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	29,428	13,361	7,086	19,417	20,105	59,969
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	14	20	36	54	16	24
Other science including Medicine:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	77,447	11,263	3,885	8,086	14,391	37,625
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	37	17	20	23	11	15
Social Science:‡
Number	…	…	…	…	…	52,625	26,255	8,880	8,238	73,985	117,358
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	25	39	45	23	58	47
Arts, including Language:
Number	…	…	…	…	…	48,563	15,684‡	—	—	19,053	34,737
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	23	24	—	—	15	14
Total	…	…	…	…	…	208,065	66,563	19,851	35,741	127,534	249,689
Percentage	…	…	…	…	…	100	100	100	100	100	100
^* For 1965–66 the figures relate to all full-time and sandwich students at undergraduate level. 4,750 of these students were not studying for a first degree. In addition there were 2,839 part-time students in 1965–66 and 2,118 in 1975–76.
† Includes architecture, planning and other vocational studies.
‡ Includes the former diploma in art and design with 10,345 students.

					Entrants with 3 or more A-levels	Estimated total number of entrants with 2 A-levels
					Percentage in score groups^*	Estimated total number
Courses	15–13	12–9	8–3	Total
Engineering and technology	…	20	34	46	100	6,500	1,900
Other Science	…	25	35	40	100	13,900	4,000
Social Science†	…	15	43	42	100	17,300	6,600
Arts, including languages	…	29	46	25	100	12,800	3,300
Medicine	…	37	42	21	100	5,000	300
^* The method of scoring A-level grades is described in the UCCA Statistical Supplement to the 13th Report 1974–75, p. 13. Briefly, scores are derived from grade A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1.
† Includes architecture, planning and other vocational studies.

Subject	At 15th February 1977	At 15th February 1976	Final count 1976
Engineering and technology	…	…	…	22,654	20,087	20,848
Mathematics	…	…	…	4,860	4,568	4,693
Physics	…	…	…	2,331	2,232	2,267
Chemistry	…	…	…	2,471	2,264	2,317
Details of the number of applicants for degree courses in further education establishments are not available centrally.