To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of provision of physics courses in universities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of provision of physics courses in universities.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to introduce this important debate. The funding of science in higher education in England and Wales is becoming a subject of considerable concern to many, my constituents in particular. When, only a few weeks ago, Reading university staff and students heard that senior...

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to introduce this important debate. The funding of science in higher education in England and Wales is becoming a subject of considerable concern to many, my constituents in particular. When, only a few weeks ago, Reading university staff and students heard that senior...

Both the hon. Gentleman and I are involved in the campaign to try to save the physics department at Reading university. He talked about funding, but does he accept that in 2005 Reading university was successful, with the Open university and Leicester university, in a joint bid to the HEFC...

Both the hon. Gentleman and I are involved in the campaign to try to save the physics department at Reading university. He talked about funding, but does he accept that in 2005 Reading university was successful, with the Open university and Leicester university, in a joint bid to the HEFC...

I always welcome the interest of the hon. Member for Reading, West (Martin Salter) in my constituency. I know that the vice-chancellor of Reading university, who has been in post for a long time, is looking forward to meeting the hon. Gentleman. The key point is that both student numbers...

I always welcome the interest of the hon. Member for Reading, West (Martin Salter) in my constituency. I know that the vice-chancellor of Reading university, who has been in post for a long time, is looking forward to meeting the hon. Gentleman. The key point is that both student numbers...

Yes, I am. The hon. Gentleman will recall that the then chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council and I gave detailed evidence to his Committee when it was conducting its inquiry. We commissioned HEFC to review the status and the position of STEM subjects. It concluded that there...

Yes, I am. The hon. Gentleman will recall that the then chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council and I gave detailed evidence to his Committee when it was conducting its inquiry. We commissioned HEFC to review the status and the position of STEM subjects. It concluded that there...

The Minister knows that I am a member of the Select Committee on Science and Technology that produced the report on the closure of science departments around the country. Would he like to list the departments that have closed and those that are considering closing? Is he happy about the...

The Minister knows that I am a member of the Select Committee on Science and Technology that produced the report on the closure of science departments around the country. Would he like to list the departments that have closed and those that are considering closing? Is he happy about the...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

I congratulate the hon. Member for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson) on securing the debate, but that is the last thing on which I will congratulate him because what I just heard—I do not often reply to an Adjournment debate in this way—was, frankly, a travesty of the Government’s record of...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson) on securing the debate, but that is the last thing on which I will congratulate him because what I just heard—I do not often reply to an Adjournment debate in this way—was, frankly, a travesty of the Government’s record of...

I will address the hon. Gentleman’s comments later. I do not think that there is any evidence anywhere in the advanced world that central Government Departments dictating to universities which subjects they should deliver is the way to a sustainable future. A significant debate is taking place in the European...

I will address the hon. Gentleman’s comments later. I do not think that there is any evidence anywhere in the advanced world that central Government Departments dictating to universities which subjects they should deliver is the way to a sustainable future. A significant debate is taking place in the European...

Very briefly, and then I will try to make some progress.

Very briefly, and then I will try to make some progress.

I will be brief and will try to be constructive. The Minister will agree that the Government are planning to increase by 24,000 the number of physics and chemistry students by 2014, but what is the point of doing that if he allows departments that teach science in universities to...

I will be brief and will try to be constructive. The Minister will agree that the Government are planning to increase by 24,000 the number of physics and chemistry students by 2014, but what is the point of doing that if he allows departments that teach science in universities to...

I will address it, although the point that I am trying to make is that the funding record, through both public and private resource, of the Government towards our universities is demonstrably better than that the previous funding record. However, there is an issue about the funding weighting, and the...

I will address it, although the point that I am trying to make is that the funding record, through both public and private resource, of the Government towards our universities is demonstrably better than that the previous funding record. However, there is an issue about the funding weighting, and the...

I want the Minister to deal with the points that I raised about whether he takes a view on how many physicists or departments we need in this country. Has any research been done on that?

I want the Minister to deal with the points that I raised about whether he takes a view on how many physicists or departments we need in this country. Has any research been done on that?

I do not accept that the proper publication of information about a school’s performance leads to a reduction in the study of science subjects. As the hon. Gentleman has raised the point, I will give him the opportunity to make it clear whether he is calling for the abolition of...

I do not accept that the proper publication of information about a school’s performance leads to a reduction in the study of science subjects. As the hon. Gentleman has raised the point, I will give him the opportunity to make it clear whether he is calling for the abolition of...

If the Minister looks at my comments in detail, he will see that I am concerned about the way in which the spending is being directed with regard to the weighting for teaching, rather than the overall amount of funding going into science and education or into the higher education...

If the Minister looks at my comments in detail, he will see that I am concerned about the way in which the spending is being directed with regard to the weighting for teaching, rather than the overall amount of funding going into science and education or into the higher education...

The point was not one that I or my Front Bench were making, but something that was reported to me by a number of academics who are concerned about it. I thought I should report their concerns rather than just my own as part of the debate.

The point was not one that I or my Front Bench were making, but something that was reported to me by a number of academics who are concerned about it. I thought I should report their concerns rather than just my own as part of the debate.

I am happy to follow that up in writing. We have certainly set out specific targets for the number of additional entrants for A-level qualifications that we wish to see by 2014. That will be a significant step change. I think that we can make progress on that target, and...

I am happy to follow that up in writing. We have certainly set out specific targets for the number of additional entrants for A-level qualifications that we wish to see by 2014. That will be a significant step change. I think that we can make progress on that target, and...

Westminster hall adjournment debate on the funding of science in higher education.

Westminster hall adjournment debate on the funding of science in higher education.

My Lords, the Minister may not know that I was not present on that day for medical reasons. Does he regard the previous occasion as one which some noble Lords referred to as a full debate of the issues? The noble Baroness, Lady Massey, spoke and the Minister spent a...

My Lords, the Minister may not know that I was not present on that day for medical reasons. Does he regard the previous occasion as one which some noble Lords referred to as a full debate of the issues? The noble Baroness, Lady Massey, spoke and the Minister spent a...

My Lords, there was a proper debate. The noble Lord takes, I fear, a different view of the matter. As for speaking for only one paragraph, I spent a good part of col. 736 in Hansard discussing the issues relating to the amendment. Since the issue has been raised again,...

My Lords, there was a proper debate. The noble Lord takes, I fear, a different view of the matter. As for speaking for only one paragraph, I spent a good part of col. 736 in Hansard discussing the issues relating to the amendment. Since the issue has been raised again,...