§ 23. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his financial provisions towards grants to science students undertaking post-graduate and post-doctoral research.
§ Mr. William SheltonThe grants-in-aid made to the research councils from the science budget include provision for the support of postgraduate and postdoctoral research training in the natural and social sciences. Each research council has freedom to decide what proportion c f its grant-in-aid to allocate to research training. In 1981–82 the research councils made 5,851 postgraduate awards, and I understand that in 1982–83 they plan to make 5,496. By long standing arrangement, the rate of grant to science postgraduates is the same as that made to humanities postgraduates by my Department.