§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many vacancies have occurred in the Manchester dental school in the year ended May 1982; and what is the reduction required as a result of the University Grants Committee cuts by 1984.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy right hon. Friend understands that eight and a half academic and academic-related and one and a half non-academic staff vacancies occurred in the Manchester dental school in the 12 months up to May 1982, and that one of the academic vacancies has been filled. It is for universities themselves to decide what staff reductions are necessary to adjust to their new levels of funding.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many clinics in the dental undergraduates schools will be closed as a result of the University Grants Committee cuts; and what will be the effect of the cuts on the level of research in dentistry;
(2) how many of the 18 dental schools have received no special protection from the cuts in University Grants Committee support;
(3) how many dental staff losses are expected to occur in dental schools in the United Kingdom as a result of the University Grants Committee cuts; and how many schools will be affected.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe University Grants Committee's letter to all universities of 1 July 1981 indicated that the committee had
based its grant distribution on a less than average cut in the resources available to dentistry".Universities are still considering their plans in the light of the lower level of resources available to them and it is too early to say what the total effects on dental schools and dental research will be.