§ Mr McCuskerTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the principal differences in the granting of post-graduate awards between Northern Ireland and Great Britain; and how many such awards have been granted in Northern Ireland during the past five years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe principal differences between Northern Ireland and Great Britain in the granting of502W post-graduate awards are (a) in Northern Ireland the Department of Education is responsible for making awards to Northern Ireland students for those areas of study which in Great Britain are the responsibility of the science and engineering, the natural environment, and the economic and social research councils, the British Academy, the Department of Education and Science and the Scottish Education Department;
(b) the Department of Education offers up to 20 postgraduate distinction awards each year to enable graduates from anywhere in the United Kingdom who have gained first-class degrees to undertake research at the two Northern Ireland universities.
New awards made in each of the last five years are as follows:-
Studentships Bursaries 1984–85 311 131 1985–86 307 131 1986–87 311 134 1987–88 311 133 1988–89 1337 133 1 Includes 20 Distinction Awards.