§ Mr. FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the initiatives he has taken since 1 May 1997 to attract high-calibre academic staff into engineering faculties in universities in England. [111257]
§ Mr. WicksHigher education institutions are independent bodies which appoint and retain the staff they need to run their academic programmes. For their part, the Government plan to increase funding to the higher education sector by over £1 billion in the four years to 2001–02.
§ Mr. FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many academic teaching posts in engineering faculties remained unfilled as at 30 September 1999 in universities in England. [111256]
§ Mr. FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the age distribution, in 10-year bands, of those holding academic teaching posts in engineering faculties in universities in England. [111258]
§ Mr. WicksThe latest available data are given in the table:
Academic staff 1 in engineering faculties 2 in higher education institutions in England 1998–99 Age of staff Number Percentage 21 to 30 442 6.6 31 to 40 1,748 26.1 41 to 50 2,071 30.9 51 to 60 1,934 28.8 61 and over 510 7.6 Not known 2 0.0 Total 6,707 100.0 1 Academic sraff whose primary employment function is either teaching, or teacher and reseach. 2 Includes the following cost centers, General Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mineral, metallurgy and materials engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical,electronic and computer engineering and Mechanical, aero and production engineering