Most of the contents are concentrated in the period 1953-1956. Although the subject matter is complementary to that of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy's Committee on Scientific Manpower, to which File SZ/ACSP/8 [ACSP] Committee on Scientific Manpower, 1950-1964, refers, there is scant reference to the latter in this series. Solly Zuckerman remained a member of the Sub-committee until 1965 and was active in the preparation of its report on Higher Technological Education, submitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on March 31st 1954, which called for additional funding to support an expansion of certain institutions, notably Imperial College, London.
The series includes a set of Quinquennial Estimates for the period 1957-1962 submitted by UGC-funded institutions to the Committee. These are arranged alphabetically by institution. On receiving them Zuckerman was moved to write that he was fascinated by the varied forms of the submissions ... some beautifully printed, other [sic] modestly roneo-ed; others, as it were, written on the back of an envelope; some long, others medium size; and a few gloriously short. One day you might consider imposing on Vice-Chancellors the same conditions which bitter experience inspired them to impose on Ph.D. and B.Sc.candidates, e.g. theses should be submitted in quarto form, suitably bound etc. etc. and all padding to be avoided [Letter Zuckerman to Keith Murray, 10 November 1956].