§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will make a statement on the references in the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's digest of engineering statistics, "Engineers for Britain—The State of the Profession Towards 2002", as to(a) the general trend in the industry being for reduction and (b) the levels of dissatisfaction employers have with the skills of engineering graduates; [39704]
(2) if she will make a statement on the conclusions of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in its digest of engineering statistics, "Engineers for Britain—The State of the Profession Towards 2002", 889W (a) that British engineering industry may suffer from a concealed skills shortage and (b) on the role for technological change and education in the process of economic growth; [39528]
(3) if she will respond to the recommendation of the Engineering Council and Physical Sciences Research Council in its digest of engineering statistics, "Engineers for Britain—The State of the Profession Towards 2002", on the availability of information on the contribution to the economy of the engineering profession. [39531]
§ Mr. Wilson[holding answer 4 March 2002]: The Government are aware of the importance of the contribution that the engineering and technology community makes to the UK economy and that it has the potential to make a greater contribution in the future. That is why we supported the work led by Dr. Robert Hawley, the last Chairman of the Engineering Council, that has led to the establishment of the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) chaired by Sir Peter Williams. We are also supporting the ETB in the work it has embarked on to make itself more relevant to the concerns of all in the wider engineering and technology community.
It is also why, in the last Budget, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced that they had commissioned Sir Gareth Roberts, President of Wolfson College Oxford, to undertake an independent study into the provision of skilled scientists and engineers in the UK. Sir Gareth's report is expected shortly.
Many of the matters raised in the Engineering Council's Digest of Engineering Statistics will be considered by the Government in the context of Sir Gareth's Report and I anticipate that they will inform the future work of the ETB.