§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies he has carried out into the shortage of IT staff in higher education since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [98693]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeNo such studies have been made by the Government itself; but the Universities and Colleges Employers Association has undertaken surveys of university staff in general. The findings indicate recruitment and retention is an issue in certain disciplines only, including some aspects of information technology. In 2000, the Government announced funding of £50 million, £110 million and £170 million in England for the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 to underpin human resource strategies in each higher education institution to address recruitment and retention among other things. The Government have recently announced further funding of £50 million in 2004–05 and £117 million in 2005–06 for the same purpose.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many IT teaching posts in higher education were unfilled in each year since 1997. [98694]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe information is not held centrally. Individual universities and higher education colleges, as employers, are responsible for monitoring their own vacancies.
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