HC Deb 10 April 1962 vol 657 cc1116-7
17. Mr. Wainwright

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the proportion of the relevant age-group who have entered universities for the years 1959, 1960 and 1961, and the expected proportion of the age-group for 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965.

Sir E. Boyle

As the reply contains a table of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Wainwright

I appreciate the fact that the hon. Gentleman is to circulate the figures. Is he aware that good educationists think that the Government are not doing sufficient to increase the number of places in our universities? What are the Government to do for the many thousands of qualified students who are knocking at the doors of our universities but unable to enter because there are not enough places for them? Will the Government do more in this matter?

Sir E. Boyle

I advise the hon. Gentleman to look at the speceh of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last Thursday. I congratulate the hon. Member on asking two such different Questions in succession on one afternoon.

Mr. Wainwright

That does not alter the fact that good educationists are very worried about the number of places available to young students. What do the Government intend to do? What hope have students when, because they cannot enter a university, they miss their chance in life?

Sir E. Boyle

The form of the hon. Member's supplementary questions shows that this is not a subject which can be debated at Question Time. If he looks at the speeches which the Chief Secretary and I made last Thursday, he will see that we are not complacent about the present situation. In answer to his present question I can point out that within a few years from now there will be a sharp and substantial improvement in the proportion of the age groups going to the universities.

Following are the figures:

Academic Year University Entrants as a percentage of the relevant age-groups*
1959–60 … … 4.5
1960–61 … … 4.8
1961–62 … … 4.6
1962–63 … … 4.6†
1963–64 … … 4.6†
1964–65 … … 5.3†
1965–66 … … 4.6†
* Men and women—
(i) in England and Wales aged 17 on 1st January of the previous year;
(ii) in Scotland aged 17 on 1st January of the same year.
† Estimates.

NOTE: The percentages given are for all students entering English, Scottish, and Welsh universities, including students coming from overseas, but exclude British students going to universities overseas, including Ireland.