§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment his Department has made of the current demand for places at universities and polytechnics for (a) computer sciences, (b) electrical engineering, (c) mechanical engineering and (d) mechanical production; and what proportion of students he estimates are turned down for places on these courses.
§ Mr. WaldenInformation is not available on total demand for places in higher education to study these subjects. Statistics on applications to universities and polytechnics for entry in 1986, through the national admissions systems, are set out in the tables—but there is significant overlap between them. It is estimated that overall about 50 per cent. of applicants to universities also apply to polytechnics; estimates by subject are not currently available. Applicants to universities and polytechnics may also apply to other colleges or higher education which are not included in a national admissions system and for which data on numbers of candidates is thus not available.
The numbers of candidates and acceptances for United Kingdom university full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in 1986 via the Universities Central Council on Admissions are as follows:
1986, via the Polytechnics Central Admissions System, and the estimated numbers of students enrolling on these courses are as follows: