HC Deb 18 April 1995 vol 258 cc47-8W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of(a) university professors and (b) heads of university departments are women. [19099]

Mr. Boswell

Some 5 per cent. of full-time professors at former University Funding Councils funded universities in Great Britain in 1992–93 were women. For the same year in former Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Councils funded English polytechnics granted university status, 15 per cent. of full-time professors wholly institute-financed were women.

Data on the gender of the heads of university departments are not collected centrally.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of staff in United Kingdom universities are women. [19101]

Mr. Boswell

Some 23 per cent. of full-time academic staff in former UFC funded universities in England in 1992–93 are women. For the same year in former PCFC-funded English polytechnics granted university status, 34 per cent. of full-time academic staff wholly institute-financed were women.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many university staff in United kingdom universities are now on short-term contracts. [19097]

(2) how many staff in the university of Wales are now on short-term contracts. [19086]

Mr. Boswell

This information is not held centrally.

Responsibility for employment conditions of university staff, however funded, rests with the universities as employers.

I stated in a reply to the hon. Member on 21 March 1995, Official Report, column 165, the Higher Educational Statistical Agency, which has now assumed responsibility for the collection of statics on staff, students and finance in all UK higher education institutions, will identify, in its 1994–95 academic staff record, data on staff numbers in institutions on permanent or other form of contracts.

The University Statistical Record has collected staff data on behalf of former University Funding Council-funded universities, but does not distinguish by type of staff contracts.