HC Deb 12 November 1997 vol 300 c556W
Mr. Forth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people graduated from universities in England and Wales in(a) arts and humanities, (b) science and engineering, (c) medicine and (d) law in (i) 1967, (ii) 1977, (iii) 1987 and (iv) the most recent available year. [14503]

Dr. Howells

The available data covering all higher education institutions in 1996 and former University Funding Council Universities and former polytechnics for earlier years are given in the following table.

First degree graduates1in England and Wales
Thousands
Year of graduation
Subject2 1967 1977 1987 1996
Arts/humanities3 n/a 14.1 20.6 52.7
Science and technology n/a 25.2 36.2 64.6
Medicne4 n/a 4.6 6.9 15.1
Social, administrative and business studies5 n/a 17.4 20.8 54.8
n/a = not available.
1 In 1977 and 1987 full-time only for former polytechnics, full and part-time for former UFC universities; full and part-time for all establishments in 1996.
2The definitions of the subject groups were revised in 1985 for former UFC establishments, in 1987 for former polytechnics and for all establishments in 1996.
3Including education.
4 Including subjects allied to medicine.
5Including law which cannot be separately identified in all years. In 1996 there were 9.3 thousand graduates in law.