asked Her Majesty's Government:

By what means and when since 1997 they have made or received estimates of likely shortfalls in the number of skilled or otherwise qualified personnel to fulfil the needs of science-related industries; and what steps they are taking to review and plan for any current or future deficit. [HL711]

The recent Leitch review on skills supports the stance that estimating the exact number of skilled or otherwise qualified personnel to fulfil the needs of science-related industries is difficult and not advisable in a dynamic and rapidly changing economy. It does not believe that the Government should aim to predict the impact of future technological advances and attempt centrally to provide the skills they believe will be necessary.

The Government can and do analyse data on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, employment rates of science graduates, international comparisons of stocks and flows of science skills, and consider national employer skills surveys. Such analyses (for example, the DTI's economic paper No. 16 Science, Engineering and Technology Skills in the UK March 2006, and DfES research report 775: The Supply and Demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Skills in the UK Economy) suggest that, at the broadest level, the supply of STEM skills is likely to meet demand over the next decade. However, we accept that there is the need for further action regarding the situation for specific science subjects, such as engineering and physical sciences. The falls in participation in mathematics and science A-levels are equally a cause for concern.

The Government have, therefore, made science education a high priority. The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-14: Next Steps and STEM programme reports set out our commitment to improving STEM skills by increasing attainment of science and mathematics at GCSE level, increasing participation in science subjects post-16 and improving the quality and number of science teachers.