CLOSURE OF SUSSEX UNIVERSITY'S CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

Early day motion 1835, tabled 16 March 2006 by Tim Loughton (Conservative). Signed by 68 members.

That this House expresses regret at Sussex University's decision to close its successful chemistry department despite being awarded a grade 5 rating under the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) which monitors university standards and attracting academic staff of world renown, including two Nobel prize winners; notes the discrepancy between this closure and applications to the Sussex University chemistry course being 34 per cent. higher than the average increase in applications for university places; is alarmed that this closure is part of a worrying general trend in closure of chemistry departments nationally; is concerned that not enough is being done to reverse the decline in the number of applicants accepting places to study chemistry; and further notes that this decline in teaching physical sciences will have major detrimental effects on the future success of the UK's economy, its international competitiveness and on future scientific developments.

Signatures by party: Conservative 41, Labour 20, Liberal Democrat 6, DUP 1.