asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many engineering undergraduates there are expected to be in British universities by 1983; and how this compares to the number there were in 1978.

In 1978–79 there were 28,270 undergraduate and 3,204 postgraduate full-time and sandwich engineering and technology home and European Community students in universities in Great Britain. I understand from the UGC that it envisages that there will be of the order of 6 per cent. more such students in 1983–84. The percentage increase for engineering undergraduate students only is likely to be of the same order.