§ Mr. GorrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many research council funded studentships have been unfilled in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1997–98 and (c) 1996–97. [67156]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 26 January 1999]: Table 1 sets out the data for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Table 2 sets out the data separately for the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) as the introduction of the four year "MPhys/ MSci" degrees at undergraduate level has affected take-up, and PPARC' s current policy has allowed carry over of unfilled studentships from year to year.
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Table 1: Unfilled studentships 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 Research council Provision Unfilled Provision Unfilled Provision Unfilled BBSRC 740 7 740 10 740 16 EPSRC 3,782 219 3,725 376 3,814 558 ESRC 921 0 981 8 1,166 24 MRC 340 23 351 20 350 17 NERC 544 13 538 3 546 6 Total 6,327 262 6,335 417 6,616 621 Notes:
1. The figures show the number of new studentships made available each year which were not taken up.
2. For BBSRC, the take-up figures are as at 1 January, for EPSRC 1 November, for ESRC 15 October, for MRC 30 September, and for NERC 31 July. The 1998–99 figures for BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC are provisional, as confirmation of the take-up of studentships may continue for several months yet, for example, in EPSRC's case until 31 March.
Table 2: Research Studentships 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 Research Council Provision Taken up Provision Taken up Provision Taken up PPARC 150 112 158 172 167 171 Notes:
1. The figures show the number of new research studentships awarded in each year and the number taken up. PPARC's policy has allowed carry over of unfilled studentships from year to year.
2. PPARC also made provision of 15 advanced course studentships in 1996–97, all of which were taken up.