§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what study has been made by his Department of the national demand for professional electronic engineers; and what surplus or shortage has been identified.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe Department has made no studies of the national demand for professional electronic engineers. There is evidence that some employers have difficulty in meeting their requirements for professional electronic engineers.
My Department's unit of Manpower Studies is carrying out for the Department of Education and Science a study of available information to see what indications this might provide for the direction in which higher education ought to be steered over the next 10–15 years. An initial report will be made later this year. This work is trying to identify any adjustments which might be required to the broad subject balance in universities, the public sector and higher education. Graduates in all engineering and technological subjects have therefore been looked at as a group, and electronic engineers have not been separately identified.