§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to promote electrical engineering at university level.
§ Mr. FormanThe Government have promoted science and technology subjects by setting the publicity funded fee for laboratory and workshop courses at 50 per cent. higher than the classroom rate. We are planning to widen the differential between these two fee levels further in order to increase the incentive to provide laboratory and workshop-based courses. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has been asked to consider ways to encourage continuing expansion of engineering and technology at all levels through its funding, and to provide incentives for two-year vocational diplomas. Electrical engineering can expect to benefit from all these measures.
§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department has on the 39W non-completion rate for students undertaking electrical engineering courses in (a) universities and (b) other institutes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FormanInformation which is available on non-completion rates relates to all engineering and technology subjects.
For universities, the estimated non-completion rate for engineering and technology, averaged between 1989 and 1991, was 16 per cent. (Source: University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the United Kingdom, 1992.)
For other institutions, available data are for the first year of the course only, for 1987–88. They show that the exit rate for engineering and technology degree courses was 24 per cent. (Source: Department of Education Statistical Bulletin 9/92, 1992.)