HC Deb 09 February 1989 vol 146 cc749-50W
Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what projections have been made of demand for lecturers for each of the next five years in(a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) colleges of further education.

Mr. Jackson

There is no central projection of lecturer numbers in either universities or polytechnics: these are determined by the aggregate decisions of institutions within the resources at their disposal. The public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 612) projects lecturer numbers in further education in 1989–90 at 58,700, implying a staff:student ratio of 9.4:1. This is consistent with progress towards implementing the recommendation of the joint government and local authority association study of efficiency in FE, published in the report "Managing Colleges efficiently", that by 1991–92 the national staff:student ratio for FE should be over 10 per cent. tighter than it was in 1985–86. Cm. 612 does not contain any projection of FE lecturer numbers beyond 1989–90.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what specific proposals there are in view of the long-term commitment to double participation in higher education, to(a) recruit more lecturers and (b) increase in real terms the resources allocated to higher education.

Mr. Jackson

The desirability of substantially widening access to higher education raises fundamental questions about its future pattern, planning and funding. These are now properly the subject of wide-ranging debate which has yet to mature. The Government will continue to review the public funding of higher education annually in the light of developing policies. Institutions will similarly review their staffing and other arrangements.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what monitoring has been undertaken of the numbers of lecturers in the following disciplines in further and higher education, who are leaving the United Kingdom to take up positions abroad, in(a) medicine and dentistry, (b) engineering and technology, (c) veterinary science, (d) mathematical science, (e) physics, (f) chemistry, (g) biology, (h) social sciences, (i) economics, (j) business studies, (k) accountancy, (l) law, (m) languages and literature and (n) arts; what numbers are recorded as having left in each of those disciplines for each of the last 10 years; and how many lecturers are under the age of 30 years in each of those disciplines.

Mr. Jackson

The available information, for universities only, is as follows:

Non-clinical Clinical Total
1980 183 37 220
1981 154 29 183
1982 166 26 192
1983 100 36 136
1984 111 17 128
1985 100 18 118
1986 140 20 160
1987 129 16 145

Non-clinical lecturers aged under 30 by departmental cost-centre at universities in Great Britain
1987–88
Education 7
Medicine, dentistry an health 101
Engineering and technology 231
Agriculture, forestry and veterinary science 48
Biological, mathematical and physical science 377
Administrative, business and social studies 325
Architecture and planning 5
Language, literature and area studies 88
Other arts 62
Libraries, museums etc. 3
Total 1,247