HL Deb 22 March 1982 vol 428 cc920-1WA
Lord Mackie of Benshie

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the number of British postgraduate students is decreasing because of the smaller number of awards made available by the Engineering and Science Council and other bodies and whether they will encourage industry to sponsor such students by giving tax allowances on money spent in this way.

Lord Elton

The total number of home postgraduate students in universities in Great Britain has remained approximately level over the last few years, while the number of such students in institutions such as polytechnics in England and Wales has increased over the same period. Thus the slight fall, since 1980, in the number of students in receipt of an award from the Science and Engineering Research Council is having little effect on the total numbers. Furthermore, within the Science and Engineering Research Council's figures there has been an increase in the number of studentships with direct industrial involvement. We have no plans to introduce relief for industry beyond that already available, and the trends I have mentioned do not suggest any need for that.