§ Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education when he received a copy of the Engineering Council's recent report on international comparisons of engineering graduate manpower output; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FormanEngineering has a vital part to play in our economy. Higher education institutions are important providers of qualified manpower, and our policies are aimed at increasing their ability to respond to the needs of industry and students. Those needs are usefully informed by a knowledge of the position in competitor countries. I welcome the Engineering Council's report, which I received on 4 June, as a contribution to such knowledge.