§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the amount and standard of the teaching of computer studies in schools; what plans he has to increase the number of teachers of computer studies in schools; and whether he will make additional funds available to those local authorities who want to retrain existing teachers in computing studies.
§ Dr. BoysonIn answer to the first part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to her question on 21 June 1979.
Computers and computing have applications in a number of subjects which are taught in schools. A growing number of initial and in-service training courses for teachers in such subjects include elements of computer studies.
Central Government support for local authorities' education expenditure is provided through the rate support grant. It is for each authority to decide its own priorities in allocating resources for the further training of teachers in its service.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much he intends to spend on university education in microelectronics and computing in the years 1980–84; and how this compares with the figures for the years 1974 to 1979.
§ Dr. BoysonIt is for each university to determine its own pattern of expenditure in the light of the funds made available to it through the University Grants Committee. Such expenditure on education in microelectronics and computing is not available on a national basis. The universities' recurrent grant settlement for the academic year 1979–80 included an additional sum of about £1 million specifically for the purpose of developing the study of microelectronics in universities.
Expenditure by the computer board on university computer facilities amounted to some £83 million, covering both capital and recurrent, over the financial 855W years 1974–75 to 1978–79. Spending in 1979–80 is currently estimated at just over £26 million. The precise level of grant for the financial year 1980–81 is still under consideration but, as indicated in the recent White Paper, Cmnd. 7766, it is the Government's intention that resources for home students in higher education as a whole will be about the same level as in 1979–80. The Government are still considering their expenditure plans for the years after 1980–81.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that adequate facilities for computing education are available in British universities; and whether he has any plans to increase the amount of facilties currently available.
§ Dr. BoysonI have no evidence to suggest that universities in general are unable, through lack of facilities, to admit well qualified students to computer courses. The provision of such facilities is for each university to determine in the light of its priorities and the funds available to it.